Stay Here With
by Monkeybarrel
Summary: (WIP, Chapter 8 up) Executive Committee: Going back to when Kubota and Tokitoh first meet and their lives suddenly become a little less than ordinary.
1. Across Platform C

Quick note:  An Executive Committee fic, and meant to be multi-part.  Although with school, no promises for quick updates.  I hope what is here so far can be enjoyed though.  Comments and criticism always welcome.

Warnings:  EC/WA, Kubotoki, etc, is all owned by Minekura Kazuya.  I am merely a sucking sponge, sans the square-pants.      

Stay Here With

Part 1 - Across Platform C

The train platform was crowded that morning, like every morning at that time.  There were the usual office workers on their way downtown.  Some were standing silently, reading a book or readjusting a tie, while others checked their watches or make-up right before they would pack themselves on to the train.  Students dressed in different uniforms stood in small groups holding their school bags over their shoulders, or swinging them by their handles.  Some of the girls were exchanging glue sticks, applying it on their calves and then pulling their oversized socks up.  Having lost his change in the vending machine, a male student started to kick the bottom of it until a subway officer chased him off to the opposite side of the platform.     

Kubota stood off from the little groups waiting for the next train, smoking silently, his bag leaning against his leg.  Normally he was never here this early.  His first class was study hall and he decided early on that sleeping in bed was far better than in class so since April he had skipped it and the 8am rush for the train.  He hadn't been to home room since the first day of the semester.  But today an early meeting was called of the Executive Committee and so here he was, waiting with everyone else.

Normally he would skip the meetings, at least the ones before noon, especially since their secretary had a habit of prolonged minutes reading from past meetings, but the student council treasurer had come in the day before and stared them all down until each understood that they were all to be present the next morning at 8:30 sharp.  

Normally none of the student council had any say over what Kubota was to do.  He came and went as he pleased, leaving a slight smile, a wave, and a thin trail of smoke behind.  He did rather like the EC itself.  Their job of "enforcing" school rules made the time at Araiso a little more interesting than it would normally be.  He smiled and tapped his ashes into a nearby trash can.  Being in the EC gave him total freedom to walk whenever and wherever in the school, and people paid little attention if he ever fought anyone.  Since of course, it was for the school's safety.  Normally he didn't care either way though.  Most fights at the school were minor, and even when he was a first year, his height over the other boys was great enough that they would stop brawling and step back when he came down the hall.  

What got him up early this morning though was the way the student council treasurer had asked him to the meeting.  There was no, "I know you have a class, but…" or "It would be nice if you and the EC were there", but simply a cold look and a "You better be there, Makoto."  And that was it.  Normally that wouldn't bother him either.  It would be better if he did a lot of things, but he did what he wanted, whether it was smoke on campus, eat in class, or skip meetings.  The fact that the treasurer was his former partner in the EC gave him pause though so when told that he'd "better be there", he simply chewed on his cigarette and nodded.  

So here he was at 8:03, waiting for the 8:08 train.  He took out his cigarette and stifled a yawn.  Outside of the "you better be there", there was little for that day to be getting up for at all.  He stretched out his arms a bit, forcing a few others waiting to step back.  Maybe he would just skip out after the meeting.  Maybe go to Kou's early to see if there was any work to do.  At least that may be more interesting than the medieval poetry unit in Lit. class.  Kubota scratched his head as he silently went over his options for alternatives to school that day when he caught the sound of raised voices.  He turned his head and noticed as people began clearing the middle of the platform and in the space they left, he saw something he normally didn't see until he got to school.  A fight was starting.

Four against one.  He smiled bitterly.  Good to see that guys from his school knew how to represent Araiso in style.  The four all wore the school's uniform jacket, and he recognized them as a group that was normally active in the beating-up-freshmen club.  Hell, charter members.  He kept watching though.  It was too early for him to look like a leery authority figure and EC's name meant little off school grounds.

The one the four were facing down was also wearing their school jacket, and looking at his small size, probably a first year.  Kubota made a mental note to tell him that no one actually wore the cap-part of the uniform.  It was just as good as a please-kick-my-ass sign stitched to your forehead.  

The first-year took a step back and looked around, but the crowd had cleared and either stared or flatly ignored them.  He turned back to the four and started to speak, his voice faltering under their combined glare.

"L-L-Look, I-I-I don't know what you guys want, but-but-but-"

That's it, kid.  Show no fear.  Kubota just shook his head. 

One of the four took a step closer to the first year.   Yutaka…is that his name?  Kubota thought absently.

Yutaka-something took another step forward and the first year took a step back towards the tracks.  "Didn't you know that today was pay-the-higher-years day?"

"I-I-I didn't hear any-anything like that."  The first year took another step back.  His foot was now at the yellow don't-cross line at the edge of the platform.  

Funny, I didn't hear about this either.  Kubota stubbed out his cigarette and kept watching.  Two years earlier when someone had tried to "tax" him, he had broken their fingers.  "Will this be a payment plan or a one-time only fee?" he had called out as the upper-classman had run off down the hall towards the nurse's office.  He thought he was going to be suspended, but instead he got headhunted for Araiso's junior high version of the EC.  "Try not to break so many at once," he was cautioned before being let loose again.  

"Well, we're telling you now, aren't we?"  Yutaka waved behind him and got a smiling approval from his squad.  "Five bucks a pop, kid, and then you can go along and do whatever you little shits do."

"I-I-I can't pay that!"  The first year held up his bag in front of him like a shield.  "I-I-I don't have that much on me!"

"Well, why don't we check for you?"  Yutaka grabbed the bag from the first year's hands and opened it up.  "Maybe mommy packed you something that will save your ass."  He began tearing though the bag, tossing out papers, books, a pencil case and finally pulled out a lunch box tied in a handkerchief.  Yutaka sat the box down on the platform and began to untie it.  "This is perfect.  I skipped breakfast."  

"Hey, that-that-that's," the first year stammered out, pointing at the lunchbox.  Yutaka shot him a look and the first year bit his lip and looked down at his shoes.

Yutaka lifted the lid to the box and made a face.  "Damn, your lunch sucks.  Tell your mom to make some sushi tonight.  I could go for some of that…hey, what the fuck?"  Yutaka picked up a small sheet of paper that was folded in the box.  "Good luck on your first day, Nobu…love Mom….oh, you gotta be shitting me."  He crumpled up the note in his fist and tossed it at the first year.  It hit him squarely on the chest, bounced off and then landed at his feet.  The first year, Nobu, just stood there, staring at it.  

"Oh, wait."  A smile spread across Yutaka's face.  "Give that back.  I wanna write something to your mom.  Tell her how much we appreciate this shitty lunch she made you.  C'mon, dick-wad, be a good boy and pass it back."

Nobu just stood there, unmoving, staring at the platform floor.

Yutaka clicked his tongue and stood up.  "Alright then.  Maybe I'll just write it on your face."  He grabbed Nobu's shirt and pulled him up.  "What do you think, guys?  Right or left eye?"  The boys behind him just laughed.  He turned back to Nobu who was looking up at him with an expression of total panic.  "Yeah, maybe both would be best."  He raised his fist and Nobu closed his eyes shut.

A loud crash was heard and everyone on the platform turned to see an overturned recycling bin.  A figure stepped forward and walked though slowly as the cans began to roll out across the floor.  He stopped one with his foot and crunched it beneath his shoe.  Looking up, he glared at the small group in the middle of the platform and then in one move, kicked the crushed can through the air.  Yutaka quickly ducked as the can sailed inches over his head.

"I have a message for you."  The figure, a boy not much taller then Nobu, and also wearing their school jacket, walked forward slowly.  Each can he came across he kicked towards them.  "Let him go or-"  One of the three was hit in the shoulder.  "It's my foot-"  One in the stomach.  "In your ASS!"  A third in the head.  "Is that clear enough?"  Yutaka ducked another one.  "Or do I need to draw you a fucking PICTURE?"  

"Who the fuck are you?"  Yutaka dropped Nobu on the ground and faced the new student.

That's a good question.  Kubota quietly moved through the silent crowd, closer to the group.  Who is this kid, and did he wake up this morning wanting to die?

The boy, having reached the edge of the half circle that other group of four had formed, dropped his bag and raised his fists.  "Just a friend of justice, you asshole.  Now get the fuck away from him."

"Friend of Justice, huh?"  Yutaka shook his head.  Kubota followed suit.  Who was this guy kidding?  Did he know he wasn't in a Power Rangers episode?  

"Looks like we have a fuckin' Sailor Moon here, guys."  Yutaka sneered back at the kid.  "Well, Moonie, you wanna help this dicklet out?  Well, here!"  With that said, he grabbed Nobu's bag from the ground and threw it on the tracks below.  "Help him out, Moonie.  We'll even step back, won't we?  I wouldn't want to get in the way of the fuckin' "Friend of Justice" and all."  Yutaka and the others all stepped away from the platform edge and smirked back at him.  Nobu just stared at his bag now lying on the tracks.  The kid who had kicked the cans walked up to the edge of the platform and looked down.  The whole platform looked with him, and Kubota noticed now that the platform across the two sets of tracks was now watching them too.  Everyone was silent, and Nobu made a quiet sniffing noise.  The other kid looked up and faced the other direction, towards the tunnel.  Another sound was heard, a low rumbling.  Everyone turned to look at the tunnel and then to the tracks.  It was 8:07, and the 8:08 train was coming.

The other kid didn't even hesitate.  He just jumped the six or so feet down to the tracks, grabbed the bag and then turning, threw it back up towards Nobu who caught it.  Yutaka at first gaped down at him but then quickly covered it up and reached down and taking the kid's own bag, tossed it further down the tracks.  Everyone turned and watched it fall as if in slow motion and then land about ten feet from the kid.  He looked at his bag and then down at his feet where the tracks were starting to vibrate, and then to the tunnel.  He then slowly walked towards his bag and picked it up, and then turned to the platform.  He faced Yutaka and with one arm, threw his bag back at him.  Yutaka caught it, and he couldn't hide the surprised look that covered his face.

"You wanna do that again?"  The kid asked coolly.  The rumbling was getting louder.  Yutaka and the other boys just stared back at him.

"I said you wanna try that again?"  The kid crossed his arms.  "Didn't your dad ever tell you how to play this game?"  Everyone looked from the kid on the tracks to Yutaka holding his bag, and then to the rumbling tunnel.  Kubota checked his watch.  8:08.

The rumbling seemed deafening.  Or maybe it was the silence from everyone else.  Kubota now found himself near the edge of the platform, and from there he could see the lights of the train coming.  The kid didn't move though.  He just stood on the tracks.  He had space enough if he jumped back.  There was a small stretch, about five feet, between the two tracks for the incoming and outgoing trains.  Getting up on either platform though would be difficult, if not impossible.  "The only way he'll make it," Kubota thought, "is if he stays in the middle."  The kid stood firm on the tracks though and never took his eyes away from Yutaka.

"You wanna try that again?" the kid was shouting now over the noise.  Yutaka just shook his head frantically, and throwing the bag on the platform floor, made a run for the stairs.  Everyone's eyes followed, and turned for a second away from the train and the boy standing on the tracks.  His bag fell open when it landed and with the rush of the train finally arriving right on time, the papers in it flew loose in the air and scattered across the ground.  

-----

Kubota never turned away.  When everyone's eyes followed Yutaka's first step out of the subway, He kept his eyes on the kid still standing on the tracks, and losing distance quickly between him and the train.  He didn't move either though.  This wasn't a kid who had a suicide wish.  He could see that easily enough just as he saw the kid's muscles tighten and as the train was about to bear down, its horn deafening, he turned and leapt away, and landed on to the other tracks, free and clear.    

----- 

When everyone turned around, they saw the train slowing down to a halt, right where the boy had stood.  They rushed forward when the doors opened, crowding the windows on the other side, straining to see anything.  Kubota remained where he was.  Something was off.  The train had come to a halt, but for some reason the rumbling hadn't stopped.  Kubota looked up and then at his watch.  He looked up again and out towards the opposite tunnel and suddenly it hit him.  He opened his mouth and yelled out.

"Move!  The other train is coming!"  A few people standing in the train turned and looked at him as the doors closed, but he was looking only at the other tunnel, and the 8:09 outgoing train that had just arrived.

-------   

First the 8:08 pulled out, but Kubota never boarded it.  He just stood on the platform and watched silently as the 8:09 finally pulled away.  His eyes fell upon the now clear set of tracks and then slowly rose up to the opposite platform where the 8:09's departing passengers were slowly milling up the stairs.  His eyes rested on one figure though who sat by the platform's edge, breathing heavily.  Then slowly the figure stood up and faced across to the almost empty platform, except for Kubota, Nobu, and the three Yutaka had left.  The three boys took one look at the kid now staring them down across the tracks and turned and ran back up the stairs.  The kid's eyes went from the retreating figures on the stairs to Nobu who remained motionless, clutching his bag, and then finally rested on Kubota.  Their eyes met, and the kid's widened a little.  Kubota just looked back at him silently, but he could feel a small smile growing on his face.  The other boy's expression quickly turned into a scowl and he opened his mouth to say something but was quickly cut off.   

"What the HELL do you think you were doing?"  The kid turned to find his arm roughly grabbed by a subway officer.  "You think you can just pull a stunt like that and walk away?"

"What the- hey, leggo!"  The kid pulled his arm back but the officer's grip seemed strong and he started pulling the boy towards the office in the back.

"First we're calling the cops," the officer snarled, "THEN, your parents!"  And with that said, he pulled the boy into the office and slammed the door shut.  In the quiet that the trains' departure left them in, Kubota could still hear the officer yelling through the door even from where he was standing.  

He slowly walked to the center of the platform, bent down and began picking up the stray sheets of paper that had fallen out of the boy's bag.  Holding one up, he squinted at the writing before putting it back in.  Refastening the bag, he stood up.  As he walked past Nobu who still stood motionless on the platform, he patted his shoulder gently and Nobu looked up at him, his expression was a mix of shock and fear.

"Don't worry about him.  It'll work out okay.  Just…stay away from those guys."  Kubota nodded towards the stairs where Yutaka and the others had fled, "…and this."  He tapped the cap that Nobu was wearing.  "Don't wear this."  Nobu only nodded and Kubota looked at his watch.  "The next train is in seven minutes.  Get on that and you shouldn't be too late."  With that, he waved and headed towards the stairs and to the opposite platform with both his bag and the other boy's in his hands.  

"I think you've forgotten something…Tokitoh Minoru."

------- 

Tokitoh could never explain why he did anything.  He just did things because they felt right.  If asked later, he could never give a reason.  He did know why he had challenged those assholes on the platform though.  He hated that shit; big guys picking on kids just because they're all big and dumb and have whatever fucking disease that makes them such dicks to everyone else.  Jumping in that was nothing.  It would have been weird if he didn't.  He could never just sit back, which is why he always seemed to be in offices like this.  He grimaced and ran his hand through his hair.  The officer was now on the phone with "the cops" or something.  Isn't he a cop though?  He wondered to himself.  What the hell is with the uniform if you're not a cop?  He puffed out his cheeks and breathed out slowly.  God, he was so fucked.

The officer had turned away for a moment, and Tokitoh, in that second first wiped his damp hands on his pants and then quickly looked down at his groin area.  Checking quickly to make sure there were no tell-tale spots, he sighed and sat back.  He felt sweaty all over, and he thought for sure he was going to piss his pants down on the tracks.  He rolled his eyes.  If anyone asks him how he stood for so long with the train coming, he'll just say, "Oh, it's fucking easy.  Just be scared shitless and trust me, you won't move at all."     

The first one was bad enough.  The second one though…He thought he was going to lose a lot more than his bladder when he finally saw that one.  He shook his head.  At that moment, when he had jumped, the noise had all become one big loud rumble.  Even as the train was slowing down before him, the one loud noise was there, all around him, shaking everything, shaking him.  He just kept staring at the train in front of him, and the blurred faces in the windows that all seemed to be looking down, down at him, and all he could do was look back and shake.

If that guy hadn't yelled out…he didn't know why he heard it either, over the one rumble and over his own heart, but as the train came to a halt and before the rumble took over everything, he heard it, the warning about the other train.  He turned and saw it, and it seemed almost like it was right above him.  He could have moved left and stood on the small space between the tracks, but that hadn't occurred to him at that time.  All he could think of was, "Get out of there, dumbass!" and he just turned and jumped.

He told that to the officer and the man just gave him this "Pull the other one, kid" look.  But he did jump and pull himself out somehow.  Those waiting for the train saw him do it, and fell back as he threw himself over the platform's edge.  He couldn't explain it though, just as he couldn't really explain why he jumped down there in the first place.  He just did things and things happened and that's how he got to places, like the office he was in now.  

"Tokitoh, is it?"  The officer glared at him from the desk and picked up the phone again.  "Now give me your parents' number."

Tokitoh sunk into his seat.  Surviving two trains seemed to have made him a little light headed.  He rubbed his forehead.  "Can I have some water?"

"No.  You sit there and tell me NOW your home number and THEN I will call your parents."  The officer had stood up started to walk around the desk.  "And THEN they will come down here and pick you up like this-" He grabbed Tokitoh's collar and lifted him up out of the seat, "and hopefully SHAKE some sense into your little punk brain that you don't pull anything like this AGAIN."  

Tokitoh lifted his hand up and wiped his face.  "Geez, just 'cause a guy asks for water doesn't mean ya gotta spit all over- erk."  The grip on his collar tightened and Tokitoh bit his lip.

"Listen, here now."  The officer's voice went down to a notch that Tokitoh didn't really like.  "I am sick and tired of snot-nosed kids like you coming in here and pulling shit like this.  Maybe if the others hear that one of their friends got beat at his own little game, maybe that would be best for-"  

Best for what, the officer never finished because right then the door to the office was opened, and another boy fell in.

"Oops, I'm sorry.  Should I have knocked first?"  The officer, with Tokitoh still by the collar, stared at the tall, gangly boy that leaned on the now open door.

"What the hell do you want?" the officer barked out.

"Oh, I thought I lost something, but now I found it."  The taller boy walked into the office, took a hold of Tokitoh's collar and gently pulled it out of the officer's grip.  The officer didn't yield at first, but then finally released it.  Tokitoh just fell back into the chair, his hand went up to his throat and he looked back defiantly at the officer.

The officer just scowled back and headed towards his chair.  "You know this punk?"

The taller boy just nodded and smiled.  "I'm sorry for any inconvenience.  Minoru-chan here tends to get a little over-excited sometimes."

"Over-excited?" The officer gave him a cross-eyed look.

"Minoru-ch-"  Tokitoh started to get up but the taller boy laced his arm around his shoulders and sat him down again, his hand gently patting Tokitoh's mouth shut.

"First day-jitters and all, Officer.  I'm sure you understand."  

"No, frankly, I don't."  The officer sat back.  "What the hell does "first-day jitters" have to do with a kid jumping on the tracks?  Can you tell me that, smart guy?"

"Well, Officer, Minoru-chan here is new to Yokohama.  Just got in from Tokyo, and you know those Tokyo-kids.   Life's just crazy there right now."  

The taller boy seemed to be pretty relaxed because he sat right down in the chair next to Tokitoh, but still had his arm around his shoulders.  Tokitoh just stared at him now.  What the hell was this guy saying, and how did he know all this about him.  The officer seemed to by buying it though, so he just kept his mouth shut.

The taller boy's tone was still nonchalant, but it grew slightly more serious as he continued.  "It's actually gotten so crazy these days, crowded I mean, that they're actually having people wait for the trains ON the tracks now." 

"You can't be serious.  I haven't heard that."  The officer shot him a skeptical look.

"It's true.  Right, Minoru-chan?"  The taller boy looked down at him, and Tokitoh felt a gentle squeeze on his shoulder.  He slowly turned to the officer and nodded.  

"Yeah.  It's really bad there right now."  He tried to make his voice sound small, like the very size of Tokyo scared him, but it came out more squeaky then anything.  There was another gentle squeeze on the shoulder and he looked back up.  The taller boy just smiled at him.  

"Huh…I haven't heard anything like that."  The officer just tapped his chin.  "On the tracks, you say?"

"The thing is," the taller boy continued.  "They don't really want anyone to know.  It's bad for tourists if they heard that they might have to wait on the tracks and risk an accident happening."

"…yeah, I can see those idiots in Tokyo thinking of a plan like that…" The officer was nodding slowly.

"And Minoru-chan here just thought Yokohama was the same, but now we know, don't we?"  The taller boy patted his head.  "No more waiting on the tracks to catch the train."

"Hmph."  The officer swung back and forth in his chair for a few moments thinking and then looked back at Tokitoh.  "Now, you listen to your..."  The officer gave the taller boy a questioning look.

"Friend."  The boy answered.  Tokitoh looked at him again and then back at the officer who had an expectant look.  He nodded slowly.  

"You listen to your friend here, and stay out of trouble.  Whatever shit you pulled in Tokyo, you can't pull here, got it?"  The officer jabbed a finger towards him.

"Got it."  Tokitoh nodded again.  "Wait on platform.  Not tracks."

"Good….Now get out of my sight."  The officer waved them off.  But right as Tokitoh reached for the door though, the officer spoke up again.  

"Next time, if there are any more stunts like that, you'll be in so deep, your "friend" here won't be able to pull you out of it.  No matter what kind of story he tells."  Tokitoh swallowed and looked down, but he then felt a gentle pressure on his shoulder as the taller boy reached ahead with his other hand and opened the door.  

"Go on," he heard a low voice near his ear.  He looked up at him, but then stepped out of the office.  The taller boy followed but on the way out turned his head and said.

"Hopefully next time there won't be any more stunts like this because the officer on duty will be doing his job as opposed to sitting and watching from his office as kids bully other kids.  Or maybe he just likes to bully kids himself."  The officer's eyes widened, but the taller boy then closed the door to the office and they were then both free.

"Whoosh."  Tokitoh sighed in relief.  "I can't believe he let us go like that."

The taller boy walked towards the stairs.  "I'll share that feeling once we get out of here."

Tokitoh stared at him and then at the platform.  "What?  We're not taking the train to school?"

The taller boy turned from the stairs.  "Call my crazy, but right now, I think I reached my train-limit for today.  There's a bus to campus too.  If we run, we can make it."

Tokitoh just grinned and ran passed him up the stairs.  "Well, c'mon!"

The taller boy just smiled and followed.  "Hai, hai."

-------- 

The bus, with all its stops, took much longer than then train, and they arrived at Araiso High School near the end of first period.  Along the way, the taller boy pointed out different places and landmarks to him.

"That's where you can get good ramen at lunch time."  He said as he pointed to a little stand near the front of the school.  "If he likes you, you'll get a free egg in your soup."  

"Oh,"  Tokitoh just listened to him, eyes following each time the other boy pointed something out.  

"And here's the school."  The taller boy yanked on the cord, ringing the bell for the bus to stop, and it dropped them off right in front of the gate.  As the bus pulled away, they were left to stand on the sidewalk, staring at the gate, noticing that, in fact, it was very closed.

"Ah, too late."  The taller boy's voice sounded not-at-all regretful.  "Guess no school for today."

"I'm not going home after all that shit we went through."  Tokitoh threw his bag over the gate and then reached for the top bar.  "You gonna need a hand up?"

The taller boy just looked down at him for a moment, and then followed by throwing his bag over the gate and then reaching for the top bar.  "On your word."

Tokitoh grinned.  "Alright.  One, two, THREE!"  And with a grunt, each pulled themselves up and then over the gate, finally jumping down to the ground on the other side.  

Tokitoh looked around at the campus, which even from the entrance looked pretty up-scale.  "So this is Araiso, huh?  Looks kind of stuck-up."

"Parts are."  The taller boy picked up his bag and handed the other to Tokitoh.  "Some parts-"

"Oi!  Kubota!  You are in deep shit!"

"-aren't."  The taller boy finished his statement as a group of boys ran towards them.  

The oldest looking in the group reached them first.  He gave Tokitoh a quick look but then focused back on the other boy.  "Man, I don't wanna be you when you see Matsumoto.  I thought his head was going to explode when it was passed 8:30 and everyone was there BUT you.  Damn."

The taller boy waved him off.  "I'll deal with it.  Don't worry."

They started to walk towards the main building.  Tokitoh looked back and forth between them.  "Are we in trouble for being late?"

The taller boy shook his head.  "You aren't in trouble so no worries.  I think you just have to go to the main office first and then they'll give you your schedule."

They all stopped at the first office inside.  The taller boy waved the others off.  "I'll catch up with you in minute," he called.  He then turned to Tokitoh.  "Here's where you go."  He pointed at the front glass doors that had "Administrative Office" in black letters written across.

"Oh…thanks…"  Tokitoh put down his bag and began digging for his forms.  

The taller boy watched him for a moment.  "Well, I'm off this way."  And with that, he turned and started down the hall.

Tokitoh looked up to see him walking away.  He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, then opened it again.

"…I'm Sorry."

"Hm?"  The taller boy turned.

"Sorry…for making you late…and all."  Tokitoh gave him a sheepish look.

"Ah, no worries.  I always come in at this time."  The other boy just smiled.

"Ah."  Was all Tokitoh could say.  The taller boy waved again and started down the hall.  

"Uh…"  Tokitoh started again.  The other boy turned back.  "…Thanks."

The other boy just shrugged.  "That was definitely a different way to start the day."

Tokitoh smiled and scratched his head.  His face felt a little warm, and he felt even denser then usual, but he didn't know why.  He started again.  "You know this somehow, but my name's Tokitoh.  Tokitoh Minoru."

The other boy turned fully to face him.  "Yeah, I saw it when I was picking up your bag, but always good to hear it from the source.  Makes one sure how to pronounce things."

Tokitoh felt stupid for doing so for some reason, but he laughed anyways.  "I don't think I ever let anyone call me Minoru-chan before."

"You want me to?"

Tokitoh looked back at him still laughing, but then noticed the other boy was completely serious.  He then straightened up.  "No.  Tokitoh is fine."

"Good to know."  The other boy turned and started back down the hall.  "I'm Kubota.  Kubota Makoto."  

Tokitoh called back.  "Hey, to be even, this means I can call you Makoto-chan now."

Kubota turned his head and looked back at him.  "You can call me whatever you like."  

Tokitoh's face fell for a second realizing that again, the other boy, even though smiling, was completely serious.  Kubota gave him a final wave and then disappeared around the corner.  Tokitoh just looked now at the empty hall, and then grabbed his bag.  He stood there with his hand on the door for a second, thinking.

"That is a weird, weird guy."  

He couldn't help but take one more look down the hall where Kubota had been, and then finally he pushed open the doors to the office.  His first day at Araiso Private High School had begun.    

….

To be continued ^^


	2. Across Platform C part 2

Stay Here With

Quick note- Thanks to everyone for your reviews.  Comments and criticism are always welcome (and appreciated).  This is starting to move into smaller story arcs in one big story, so forgive some funny-looking-ness in the chapters.  The first arc will simply be Tokitoh's first day at school at Araiso. 

Warnings:  For now, language.  

Disclaimer:  Minekura owns all that is EC/WA.  Whoo-ha  

Across Platform C – part 2

Tokitoh barely had time to take in the scenery.  One foot into the doorway and a woman at the front desk quickly got up and shooed him towards the principal's office.  "You're late," she frowned and handed him a folder.  "Give that to the Mr. Takahata and he'll explain things."  He could only nod as she pushed him towards the door.  "And he's a little miffy this morning, so be good and listen.  Mr. Takahata does not like tardiness.  No sir, not one bit."  Before she knocked, the woman turned, and with a face that seemed to be stuck in a scrunched up expression, looked back up at him silently.

Tokitoh was taken aback a little by her intensity, small that she was.  "…What?"

The scrunch deepened somehow.  "Do you understand?  Miffy.  He's definitely miffy."

He nodded slowly.  "I- I think got it."

She squinted for a moment and looked over his face, as if there was a sign somewhere, maybe behind his ear that said, "Miffy?  What's that?"  She finally gave up, turned back to the door, made a fist and then gave a soft, gentle knock- just once.  

"WHAT?"  A voice boomed out of the office.  The woman gingerly turned the knob, opened the door, and poked her head in.

"The other new student is here today," she whispered into the office.  "Other?" Tokitoh wondered to himself.  Then he remembered the kid from the subway, the one that had been picked on.  He had been wearing the same school jacket, hadn't he?  He couldn't help but smile a little thinking about it.  At least one of them got here on time today.  The secretary turned, and his expression seemed to make her even more suspicious.  He coughed into his hand and tried to look a little more serious.  She just shook her head and pushed him into the office.  Before closing the door he heard one last "Miffy!" hissed out.  Tokitoh swallowed and turned, only to find himself facing the source of the secretary's warnings, Principal Takahata.           

Even sitting down, he looked small, and when he stood up to motion him to take a seat, Tokitoh could tell that they were about the same height.  With thinning hair that sprung up around his ears, and a round, babyish face, he didn't come off as the Lord of at that was "Miffy".  Tokitoh was halfway into sitting down when Takahata quickly raised his hand to stop him.   "Wait!"

Tokitoh tried best to stay still, but his balance was failing.  "….what?"

Takahata's eyes went to the door.   They both stood there silent for a few moments, Takahata standing by his desk, Tokitoh's butt inches from sitting down.  Tokitoh's eyes went back and forth, but Takahata's remained on the door.  Finally they heard the squeak of shoes that were quietly moving away from the office.  The sound of a chair being pulled out was then heard and a few seconds later, the tapping on keys.  Takahata then let out a breath and sat down.  He opened the folder on his desk and looked up to see Tokitoh still half stooped over.  "Oh, sit-sit-sit."  He waved his hand at him.  

Tokitoh let out his own breath which he didn't even know he had been holding in, and sat down.  "What was that?"

Takahata just shook his head.  "Don't worry about it.  Now you are…."  The principal looked up at him expectantly.  

Tokitoh looked back for a moment and then realized he was supposed to say something.  "…Tokitoh Minoru."

Takahata only kept looking at him with the same expectant look.

"…New second year student…"  No change.  "…transferring from Aoyama Private High School in Tokyo…"  Still no change.  "…I think my uncle called about coming here?"  Tokitoh turned a little red after that.  The "here?" came out a high squeak.  Inside he cursed puberty with every swear he knew.  

Takahata only looked down at his folder and then puffing out his cheeks, stood up and walked around the desk, folder in hand.  Tokitoh then felt a light whap on the back of his head and he looked up to see Takahata shooting him a stern look.  He couldn't seem to hold it though and his cheeks finally slackened and sighing, he went back to behind his desk.  

"You, young man," Takahata sat down again.  "Tokitoh Minoru-kun, new second year student transferring from Aoyama Private High School in Tokyo who's uncle did call yesterday to affirm this appointment are **forty-five **minutes late."  Back came the expectant look.  

"…But I was just-" Tokitoh barely started his explanation when the raised hand to stop him came back up.  He looked back for a second and then down at his hands.  What did he want?  "…I'm…sorry?"  He looked back up at the principal, eyes searching.  This was driving him nuts.  

Takahata gave him a curt nod.  "Fair enough.  You have one of the longer commutes of our students here.  Next time, plan better."  And then standing up, he handed Tokitoh back his folder.  "Your schedule is on top.  I suggest you hurry otherwise you'll miss your second class along with your first."  

Tokitoh looked at the folder.  "What?  Is that it?"

Takahata sighed again.  It seemed to be his most favorite sound to make.  Then leaning down, he motioned Tokitoh towards him.  Tokitoh looked back at the door and then cautiously slid forward until they were eye to eye across the desk.  

"I could say something like," Takahata started in a loud whisper and held up one hand, "welcome to Araiso, work hard, make friends, join a club, and try to represent the Araiso spirit throughout the whole day, or I could say something like," and he held up his other hand, "I've read your permanent record and there is no way you'll be able to stay here if you continue to display the same disruptive behavior you've shown at your last five schools and because your uncle and I were friends in college I'm letting you in here without going through the entire entrance exam process and giving you a chance to actually complete high school at the same institution.  But-"  He took a breath and then placed both hands on the desk, "since that is really something I would have wanted to spend some more time on, and we're plum out of it, I will just give you this-" He pointed at the folder.  "And say good luck, and-" then he pointed at Tokitoh.  "Keep your nose clean.  Got it, Tokitoh-kun?"  

Tokitoh swallowed and held up the folder.  "Got it."  

"Good."  Takahata sat back into his chair and waved him off.  "You're in the B section of the second year students.  You'll find it on the third floor."

Tokitoh bowed his head, stood up, and headed for the door.  Right as he was about to open it, the principal's voice stopped him again.  "And for your sake and mine, tell her I'm still miffy."  Tokitoh just gave him a slow nod and then turned and left the office.

The secretary nearly pounced on him when he stepped out.  "What are you supposed to do?"

Tokitoh took a few steps back from her.  "…Just go to class…" 

She shot a look towards the now closed office door.  "And that's **all he said?"**

It took him a second but then he caught on to what Takahata had meant.  "And he says he's still…miffy."  

"Ha!  I knew it!"  The scrunched up look changed into one of sweet satisfaction as she turned and went back to her desk.  Tokitoh took that moment to flee the office.  He stood out in the hall, shaking his head and opened the folder to the first page.  2nd year, section B, huh?  He puffed out his own cheeks and sighed and made his way towards the stairs and the third floor.  

"This has to be the weirdest school.  Has to be."  

----- 

Kubota had barely time to take in the scenery when he was stopped by a very familiar, cold look.  He had just left the new kid at the front office and was on his way up to class, when he felt another presence in the empty hall.  Kubota partly knew this would happen.  He risked bumping into Matsumoto every time he passed the room that the student council used as their office, and yet he still never changed his path to class.  Sometimes, he thought maybe a part of him wanted that risk

He turned and looked back at Matsumoto.  Neither said anything for a moment, as if waiting for the other to start.  Seconds passed by.  Scowling, Matsumoto finally stepped into the office and left the door open.  Kubota only smiled and followed him inside.  He wondered inwardly if they would call this one a draw.  

"I'm not going to even ask why you're late."  Matsumoto said haughtily.  "I'll have you know that EVERYONE was here though at 8:30, as they were asked."

"Everyone but me, huh?  That is pretty good."  Kubota took out a cigarette.  "Did I spoil us making the record attendance?"

"Hardly."  Matsumoto shot him his usual "Put that out or else" look, but Kubota lit up anyway.  As a consolation, he blew the smoke in the opposite direction.  Matsumoto rolled his eyes and opening the top drawer on the main desk, took out an ash tray and slid it over to him.  "You know Ikeda doesn't like the office to smell like smoke."  

"Ask me when I ever cared about what the council president thought before."  Kubota took another drag.  "Besides, isn't he out with- now what was it…mono, right?"  Kubota arched an eyebrow at him.  

Matsumoto frowned in response.  "He is out, but it's just the flu, he says.  It's the secretary who is out with mono.  You know that."  

"You sure?"  Kubota, not to hide his smile, put his cigarette down.  "I've seen them kissing."

"We were all at the Golden Week party and we all saw it, Makoto, now just grow up."  Matsumoto glared back and placed his hand on a small stack of papers on the desk.  "That's not why I asked everyone here this morning though.  We have other matters to discuss, and since you decided to not grace us with your presence then, I'm going over them with you now."

"Oh, but I'm missing math now."  Kubota tapped his ashes into the tray.  "Will you write me a note for Mr. Yonekura?"

"Spare me, Makoto, and allow me the brief illusion you're actually involved in this because you care for something outside of yourself."  

"My intentions are as pure as yours, Takahisa."  Matsumoto looked up from the papers when Kubota used his first name, but Kubota's expression was the same stony smile.

Matsumoto's eyes returned to what was on the desk.  "There are two things that we went over this morning.  First, it looks like Okumo will be out for awhile.  He probably will take time off from school until he feels better or at least can get out of bed.  Because of this, we've elected an interim secretary to carry out the rest of his term."

"Oh, who did you rope into that job?"  Kubota sat back.  Out of all the council jobs, the secretary's was probably the worst for being the most work and the least amount of power.  

"I didn't rope anyone into it.  I'll have you know that someone actually volunteered.   Or maybe it's so surprising to you that there's someone who actually wants to do this, or do anything for that matter."  Matsumoto's voice rose up an octave as he spoke.  Kubota noted that it tended to do that when he got agitated.  

Kubota raised his hands as if saying guilty as charged.  "So, who was the lucky volunteer?"

Matsumoto paused for a moment before answering.   "Tachibana Haruka."  

Kubota's eyebrows went up a little.  "Will he be stepping down from being the class representative now?"

Matsumoto nodded.  "That will be an easier job to fill though."  He paused for second and then started again.  "Speaking of which this leads to the second part of the meeting.  It's in regard to the other second year class representative."  

"Hiragi?  What about him?"

Matsumoto pursed his lips for a moment.  "I'm sure you know by now that I plan on running for council president for next year."

"A little bird has said something of the like, yes."  Kubota breathed out a thin line of smoke.  "I've also head from said little bird that Class Representative Hiragi also has designs for the presidency."

Matsumoto rolled his eyes.  "The newspaper's editor takes free speech a little too far sometimes."  

"Now, now.  Nothing wrong with keeping people on their toes."  Kubota smiled.  "I rather liked that piece he did on you.  Treasurer Matsumoto- Which way does he lay?"

Kubota thought Matsumoto was going to hit him then, he looked so angry.  Instead, he shuffled the papers noisily and stood up.  "If you're not going to listen, just go then."

Kubota didn't get up though.  Instead he simply returned Matsumoto's look.  "So, what you're saying is you asked the executive committee to what?  Get involved with the election?  Prevent Hiragi from advancing?"

"Don't be absurd."  Matsumoto walked towards the door.  "I asked everyone to simply keep an eye on him."  With that said, he opened the door, and stood by it, waiting for Kubota to leave.  Kubota slowly stood up, stretched, and then stubbed out his cigarette.  Walking out, he stopped by where Matsumoto was standing.  

"Just keep an eye on him?  Are you suspicious for a reason, Matsumoto, or is this fear that you may have a real challenger?"

"I have only one real challenger, Makoto."  Matsumoto's eyes narrowed.  "I simply asked the EC to…keep an eye out.  There will be a fair election, but I have my own little birds, and what they say about Hiragi is none to pleasant.  I'm asking for Araiso's sake, not for me.  If you see something suspicious, look into it.  That's it."

"For Araiso's sake, hm?" Kubota stood for a second thinking and then his hand rose up and squeezed Matsumoto's nose.  "I'm a little surprised you thought I would buy that along with the others."  Matsumoto's mouth opened a little and he moved to swipe Kubota's hand away, but Kubota had already let go and started walking down the hall.  "No worries though.  I'll keep my eyes out, Matsumoto-kun."  

He couldn't help but smile when he heard a hiss of "asshole" as the council's office door closed shut behind him.  

------ 

Tokitoh was squinting at his schedule as he walked down the third floor corridor.  2nd year, section E, section D, section C, the bathrooms, a storage closet, water fountain, stairs…  He got more frustrated as he reached the end of the hall.  Where the hell was B?  "Crap crap crap!" he cursed aloud and quickly turned towards the opposite end of the hall.  What is up with this school?

Speeding past the stairs, he looked back up at the door numbers, trying to see if he missed his class letter.  He was concentrating so much on the doors that he wasn't paying attention to what was in front of him, or rather, what was coming at him.  Suddenly he went from walking to falling though, and found himself on the ground, his bag and folder scattered about, and something moving beneath him.  

"Aggh!"  He yelled and moved off the grunting form under him.  "What the hell?"

"Ah, my thoughts exactly."  The figure murmured, sitting up.  "I don't know if that counts as a mental-jinx, thinking the same thing that is."  Tokitoh's mouth dropped open.  The figure he had just crashed into was Kubota from the subway.  He looked at him stunned.

Kubota adjusted his glasses and looked back.  "Ah, it's you.  You really have a way of moving about.  You may want to stop when you see others crossing your path, say by the stairs for instance."  Kubota waved lightly towards the flight of steps he just came up.  "But hey, no worse for wear."  He then stood up and extended his hand out.     

Tokitoh looked at it for a second and then looked at his stuff lying around him.  Feeling his face heat up, he turned away from Kubota and began to pick up the papers that fell out of the folder.  "…I didn't see you."

"Well, that's good.  I'm glad it wasn't on purpose."  Kubota picked up a few that had slid down the hallway and handed them to him.  

Tokitoh scowled as he got organized.  "What the hell is wrong with this school?  It goes from E to the bathrooms.  Don't tell me B is on the roof with fucking pool?"  He looked up, only to find Kubota smiling back at him.  

"What?" he asked angrily.  "What's so funny?"

Kubota shook his head.  "Ah, nothing.  There's no pool on the roof though."

"I know that!  It's just something that some smart ass always wants to lay off on the new kid.  Go to the roof and see the pool, then we'll lock you up there and pray for rain.   I hate that shit."

"Voice of experience?"  Kubota started to walk down the hall.

Tokitoh paused and then followed.  "….No!  It's just…something I've heard about."

"I see…"  Kubota kept walking.  "Did you get everything straightened out downstairs?"

Tokitoh nodded.  "Yeah…"

"Did you meet Miffy?"

"Huh?"  Tokitoh looked up at him.

"You know, smallish woman, has that face-hit-with-a-frying-pan look.  Miffy."

"Is that her name?"

"No, but that's what everyone calls her.  Can you guess why?"

Tokitoh shook his head.  "This place is so weird."

"That it is."  Kubota stopped at a door at the end of the hall.  "Here we are.  B.  Right next to A, which of course, in Araiso rules, is right next to H."  

Tokitoh stopped and looked up and then back down the hall.  They had walked all the way down and he hadn't paid any attention.  He shrugged and went to slide the door open.  "Thanks."  

"Wait."  Kubota's hand stopped his.  He then reached over and knocked on the door.  A second later, Tokitoh fell back into Kubota as the door was violently opened from the other side.

"KUBOTA, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO- EH?  WHO'S THIS?"  A large older man looked back at them, his booming voice filled up the hallway just as his figure filled up the doorway.  Tokitoh took a step back, but he then felt an arm around his shoulder, guiding him towards the door.    

Kubota cupped his mouth with his hand and spoke up.  "SORRY I'm late, sir.  Just showing the NEW STUDENT around."  Kubota patted his arm.  

The teacher frowned back at them.  "WELL THEN, GET IN AND SIT DOWN BEFORE I SIT YOU DOWN!"  He then turned and stormed back into the classroom.  

Tokitoh couldn't hide his confusion.  "What was that?"

"That," Kubota said as he pulled him forward, "is Mr. Yonekura.  Your new math teacher.  He's a little hard of hearing.  And this is your class."  Kubota stepped forward between the rows of other students and took a seat near the window.  Tokitoh stood in the front looking at all the faces staring back at him.  

"Uh…hi….um…"  He faltered with an introduction.  He hated doing this every time.  Fortunately for him, his teacher didn't let him go any further.  

"SIT DOWN!"  Mr. Yonekura tapped him roughly on the shoulder and then pointed to an empty desk right by the window and right in front of where Kubota was sitting.  Tokitoh nodded and went to sit down.  Slumping in his seat, he felt all the other students watching him, gawking at the new kid.  Leaning back, he stared straight ahead to the black board and the scattering of numbers that were scrawled across it.  Inside he was cursing furiously.  At his old school before they were doing a geometry unit, and this resembled nothing like it.  

His thoughts sunk even more when the teacher began shouting out about a pop quiz.  Today was not starting out well at all.  He tried to sink even deeper into his chair when he heard a low voice right by his ear.  

"Do you know what the H for the H section stands for?"  

"It's not Hentai, is it?"  Tokitoh whispered back.

"No, but I like your thinking."  Kubota's breath was warm on his ear.  "H is for Hell.  D down the hall is for Damned.  A is Asylum.  C is for-"

"Crazy, right?"

"Got it.  You can probably guess F as well."

Tokitoh snorted.  "So what's G."

"Goobers."  Tokitoh turned in his seat and gave him a cross-eyed look.  "Yeah, they're a strange class.  Best stay away from G."  

Tokitoh turned back to the front.  "So what's our class?" He whispered.

"Guess."

He chewed his lip for a few moments.  "Bonkers?"

"Nope."

"…Brain-dead?"

"Appropriate, but no."  

"…Best?"

"Freezing cold."  Kubota, during this time, had taken out a sheet of paper and began drawing something.  After the last guess he kept one eye on Mr. Yonekura, who was writing on the board, and then handed it over.  "Take a look at this, and tell me what possible food it could resemble."

Tokitoh unfolded the paper, looked at it, and was unable to stifle a laugh.  Mr. Yonekura had at that moment unfortunately turned and saw him.  He moved away from the board and down the aisle towards him.  "WHAT'S SO FUNNY?"

"Oh, shit."  Tokitoh tried to hide the paper but the teacher grabbed it from his hands and held it up.  

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"  He glared down at Tokitoh.  "IS THIS SOME KIND OF PORNOGRAPHY?"  

Tokitoh just shook his head, and trying to cover his smile with his hand, he answered.  "No…just BANANAS."

"WHAT?"  Mr. Yonekura looked back at the paper and squinted, turning it sideways.  "BANANAS?"

The rest of the class burst into laughter, leaving the teacher stunned.  He then walked back to the desk, still yelling for them to return to order.  

Tokitoh sat up in his chair a little more.  Some of his other classmates were flashing him smiles and thumbs up signs.  He felt a squeeze on his shoulder and before he could turn around, Kubota's voice was at his ear again.  

"Extra points for getting the teacher to say it.  Welcome to section B, Tokitoh."  

------ 

^^  tbc-


	3. Across Platform C part 3

Warning:  Still language for now.

Disclaimer:  Minekura owns all that is EC/WA/Kubotoki.  (sigh…)

Stay Here With

Across Platform C – part 3

He was saved by the bell, literally.

4th period- literature class- medieval poetry with Mr. Yamagata.

Or rather, the General, as Tokitoh soon figured out was his calling.

"Retired military," the boy in front of him whispered as the General stiffly walked into the class and up to the front board.  "People say he was kicked out though."

"What for?"  Tokitoh asked back.

"Cross-dressing."  Kubota answered behind him.

Tokitoh started to laugh but the look Yamagata shot him made him cover his mouth.  He tried faking a short cough, but the General just kept glaring back.  Finally their teacher turned the glare to the rest of the class and with a voice as stiff as his walk, started to speak.  

"Homework- on your desks- Now!"

Tokitoh looked around as the other students quickly slapped sheets of paper on their desks.  With a look of grim approval, Yamagata started to walk through the class.  Tokitoh could only watch as the General went seat-by-seat, asking questions from the homework.  With each desk he stepped up to, the student there would have to stand and shout out the answer.  "1243, sir!"  "4th stanza, sir!"  "The season in reference is spring, sir!"  Tokitoh watched as some students were silently counting down the seats until their turn and then quickly looking down their paper, they tried to figure out which question would be theirs.  Tokitoh stared at his desk.  He had the reader open, but was completely clueless on the content.  Medieval poetry?  He hated this shit.  He silently hoped that he'd get out of answering, at least for today, because he was new.  

Tokitoh half-turned as Yamagata rounded the corner and started to come down his row from the rear of the class.  Looking back, he caught Kubota's eye who just smiled and winked back at him.  Tokitoh looked down to see Kubota's desk clear except for the reader which was closed.  Leaning back in his chair, Kubota seemed completely unfazed as Yamagata got closer.  When he finally got to Kubota's desk, he fired off the next question, and Kubota backed out of his chair and then slowly stood up.  Tokitoh couldn't help but look up.  Kubota was a good head taller then the General scowling next to him.  

"The cat," Kubota's tone was light, "represents the lord's desire for companionship, but because it never stays with him, he remains lonely forever."  After finishing his answer Kubota then sat back down.  Yamagata remained where he stood and kept staring at him without either affirming or disagreeing with his response, as if waiting for something else.  

"Ah, here we go again," the classmate in front of Tokitoh whispered to himself.  "Why doesn't he just skip over him?"

Yamagata looked down at the paper he was holding, and instead of moving ahead to Tokitoh, he read Kubota the next question.  "Why does the cat never stay with the lord?"  A beat passed, and Kubota again pushed back his chair and then slowly stood up.  

"Because," Kubota smiled back at Yamagata, "He never asked it to."  He then sat back down.  

Yamagata glanced down at his sheet and his eyes lit up for a moment but then quickly returned to their previous stern furrowed look.  "Wrong, Kubota.  The answer is that the cat is a wild animal and can not stay in civilization.  That's points off from your daily assignment grade."  This last part he said while clicking his tongue, as if he was very very disappointed.  Yamagata started to step down the aisle, but Kubota pulled back his chair and then again slowly stood up.  Yamagata turned and stared back at him.  "Is there a problem, Kubota?" he asked gruffly.

"When does he ever ask the cat to stay?" Kubota asked.  

"What?"  Yamagata's eyes crossed.  Tokitoh would come to know this was the General's danger-sign.  

The rest of the class started to shift in their seats, but Kubota only continued.  "The lord feeds the cat.  He gives it a place to stay during the winter.  He leaves the door open for it.  But he never actually asks the cat to stay.  He simply assumes it will.  It is because he assumes instead of acts that he remains alone."  Kubota kept standing this time.  Yamagata first looked back from the paper and then to him.  

"Kubota, you can't ask a cat to do something.  The cat left because it was wild.  THAT is the answer, plain and simple."  Yamagata again turned towards Tokitoh.  Kubota did not sit back down though.  Instead, he continued.

"Its heart itself I could not tame, and thus in the wild it remained."  Kubota's hand rested on the book, but his eyes were on Yamagata who was slowly turning back towards him with each word he spoke.  "The lord never saw the cat as an equal companion.  Every word he used to describe it is as an animal, a beast, a wild thing.  If in fact he treated the cat as not something to tame but instead embraced the cat for what it is, the cat would have remained.  But the lord didn't and so the cat left.  The cat didn't leave because it couldn't live in civilization.  It left because there was nothing to stay for.  Thus for the lord, 'the winter continues even after spring has long thawed the ground where his tracks once were',"

The whole class was silent.  Yamagata just scowled.  "Are you finished, Kubota?"

Kubota only nodded.  "Sir, yes, sir."

"Then sit down!"  Yamagata turned.

Kubota only shrugged and sat down.

Yamagata's face had turned a red that Tokitoh didn't really like.  Standing now at his desk, the General looked down at his sheet, but just as he started to speak, his voice was drowned out by the bell that resonated through the school.  4th period was over.  Yamagata turned his scowl towards the clock on the wall and then headed for the front of the class.  "Everyone, I want five pages on that last poem by tomorrow.  And, YOU, Kubota, I want ten on your argument on my desk tomorrow morning.  One page less and your class grade is in the crapper!  Got it?"  Tokitoh turned to see Kubota salute the General and then stand up to leave.

Tokitoh watched as the rest of his class started to get up and collect their books.  He fished out his schedule and looked down at it.  The next class was just labeled "Free".  He looked up as Kubota walked past him.  

"Hey, wait a sec!" he called out.  Kubota turned and gave him a questioning look.  "What's next?"

"Oh, it's lunch now."  Kubota answered and then turned and headed for the door.  Tokitoh quickly gathered his books and followed after him.

"So, uh, what do people do?"  He caught up with Kubota in the hall.

"Well, most eat something-"

"Baka, I know that."  Kubota stopped and looked down at him.  Tokitoh felt his face heat up a little.  "I mean, where do people go?"

"Depends."  Kubota shrugged and started walking again.  "If you bring your lunch, you can go sit in the classroom, or go off somewhere to eat, like the courtyard.  If you need to buy it, there's the cafeteria, or the school store, or the 7-11 around the corner."

"Where's the cafeteria?"  Tokitoh asked.

"First floor.  Just go all the way down those stairs."  Kubota thumbed towards the other end of the hall. 

"Oh."  Tokitoh stopped and turned.  "Where are you going then?"

"Like I said," Kubota kept walking ahead.  "Lunch."

"Isn't that the wrong way?"  

Kubota turned his head and smiled as he started up a flight of steps.  "I know.  Catch you later."  And then with a short wave, he was up and gone.  Tokitoh now stood in the nearly empty hallway.  His gaze followed where Kubota had gone, but finally he turned and started down the hall.  

----- 

Tokitoh grabbed the can of tea that had dropped down in the vending machine and headed outside, his arms full of rice balls and an egg sandwich that he had purchased from the school's cafeteria.  Because of the warm early June day, most of the inside tables were empty.  Outside students were spread out across the courtyard, sitting on either the benches that lined the sides or out on the grass.  Tokitoh looked around and finally settled down under one of the trees near the corner of the yard that was still empty.  A part of him thought that maybe he should just go sit down with one of the groups.  He noticed a few kids from his class sitting off near the center, laughing and talking wildly, but at that moment all he wanted to do was just sit, and eat his lunch.  So what if it was alone?

He unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite, and chewed it slowly.  Another school, huh?  This one didn't seem too bad though.  The teachers were out there, but they always seemed that way to him.  Takahata seemed pretty sharp though.  The principal already knew about what had happened at the other schools.  Tokitoh swallowed and then leaned against the tree's trunk, and looked up at the sky through the breaks in the leaves.  It seemed every school he went to, he was carrying around a bigger and bigger hurdle to go over.  With the teachers seeing the hurdle, it seemed even harder sometimes to get past it.  His fist tightened around the sandwich's cellophane wrapper, and it crackled in his hands.  He wasn't going to let any lame-ass hurdle screw with him here.  Fuck the permanent record.  Fuck the past too.  

This last thought made him pause and he looked down at his feet.  At least fuck what past he remembered.  He grimaced to himself and went for one of the rice balls.  This time will be different.  He felt for sure.  Already things had turned out differently from what he had expected.  He had gotten away from the subway cop, thanks to that Kubota.  He had gotten through the morning, thanks partially again to that…his hand holding the rice ball stopped inches from his mouth.  He looked up and around the courtyard, his eyes scanning the students.  

"I wonder where he went…" he asked absently.    

"Where who went?"  Tokitoh's head turned and looked up.  A tall boy was ambling towards him, his hands in his pockets.  The boy reached him in a few strides and then without asking, sat down right next to him.  Tokitoh's eyes widened a bit and he slid back a little, at least as far as the tree he was against would allow.  The boy gave him an easy smile.  What sun light that filtered though the leaves shown on his blond hair that just touched his shoulders.  Tokitoh peered at him cautiously.  Even though the boy was smiling, it didn't seem to reach his eyes, and that weirded him out a little.  

The boy turned to look around the yard.  "You waiting for someone?"

Tokitoh just shook his head.  "Nah."

"Ah, so you're by yourself here?"  The boy asked. 

Tokitoh wanted to say "Duh?  Does it look like I'm with anyone?"  But instead he just took a large bite of the rice ball and started chewing.  This guy was definitely weirding him out.  The way he kept looking around and then that smile…

"So, you're new, right?"  The kid asked.  Tokitoh just nodded and took another bite.  

"What's your name?"  

Tokitoh swallowed and looked back at him for a second.  "Who wants to know?"

"Oooooh."  The kid lifted his hands in the air.  "Chill chill.  I'm just being friendly.  I know how hard it is to be the new kid, is all.  Not knowing anyone.  Having to sit alone.  Stuff like that."

Tokitoh just kept looking back at him.  He had met guys like this before.  The ultra-nice on the first day guys who either were trying to get you into the bathroom to take your money or…Tokitoh took another big bite.  He had flushed the head of the last just-being-friendly kid who had tried being just-a-little-too-friendly with him at his last school.  Him not responding back seemed to jar the kid a little.  His smile faltered for a second, but then it was back.

"Like I said.  I know what it's like, is all."  The kid repeated.  "When I saw you this morning, I thought, there's a kid who's going through the same thing.  I better go talk to him.  First day and all."

Tokitoh stopped eating and turned his head.  Who was this kid?  "What do you mean this morning?"

"I'm in your class, 2B.  That was funny, with Yonekura and all.  He's a pain in the ass sometimes.  It's cool when someone can get him to loosen up, if you know what I mean."

No, he didn't know what he meant.  Tokitoh scowled back, but the kid continued.  

"Classes here are tough and all, and some of the other kids are even tougher."  The kid pulled a box of cigarettes from his pocket, and waved the box towards Tokitoh who just shook his head.  The kid shrugged, and taking one out, lit it up.  He took a few puffs before speaking again.  "That's why it's good to get to know people.  Makes things less tough and all.  You know what I mean?" 

Damn, a fucking five-year old could know what you mean, dumb-ass.  Tokitoh bit back his tongue.  He had to try to not start a fight with every guy he met that day.  Instead he went back to his lunch.  "What's your point?"

"Hey, no point.  Just introducing myself, is all."  The kid smiled back at him.  "My name's Hiragi.  Hiragi Yo.  I'm one of the representatives for our class."

Swellsville.  Look for votes somewhere else, kid.  We're all full up here.  Tokitoh took a bite of the rice ball and kept chewing.  The Hiragi kid kept smiling and sitting there, as if waiting for something else.  

Tokitoh not offering his name back left an awkward space for the other kid.  He bobbed his head up and down a few times and then started again.  "Like I said.  I know how hard it is.  You think everyone wants to just trip you up and then laugh it off, but you know," and with this said he scooched over and laid his arm around Tokitoh's shoulder, "Not everyone's out to get you," he spoke softly.  "New school, new people, it seems strange right now, right?"  Tokitoh stopped chewing as Hiragi's hand slid down his arm.  "I'm just saying it doesn't have to be, is all."  His hand squeezed his arm.  "What are friends for, right?  And it's okay, you know-" And this was right by his ear. "To start off slow and all."

The next second found Tokitoh's elbow in Hiragi's stomach.  "Start it yourself, asshole!"  Hiragi fell back on the ground, his hand to his middle.  Tokitoh scooped up the rest of his lunch and stood up.  He noticed then the kids sitting in that area were now looking at them.  He felt his face get warm, and he quickly turned to go, when suddenly his arm was grabbed from behind.  "What the-"  

Hiragi's face lowered on his and they were only a few inches a part.  When he spoke next, Tokitoh could feel his breath on his cheeks, warm, with a smoky smell.  "It's Tokitoh, right?  Isn't that your name?"

Tokitoh wasn't interested in how the guy knew, just in getting him off of him.  "Leggo of my arm, or I'm taking yours with me." He tried to shake him off, but Hiragi's grip tightened.  

"Like I said.  It's okay if it starts slow."  Hiragi smiled down at him.  "Doesn't even have to be today.  Just want to let you know, is all.  That if you ever need a friend."  There was another squeeze on his arm.  "You know where to find me."  With that said, Hiragi let go of him and with a wave, ambled off down the yard.  Tokitoh glared after him, massaging his arm.  

"Is being a dickhead part of the entrance requirement here, or is he just a fucking bonus?"  He muttered to himself.  Tokitoh looked down at the remaining rice balls in his arms.  He suddenly didn't feel so hungry.  He looked around at the other kids still eating, or talking, or at least looking like they were having fun.  Tokitoh puffed out his cheeks.  Along with his appetite, he suddenly lost his want to be around anyone else.  He walked back towards the school.  He had about 20 minutes left until the next class.  Maybe he could find some spot in the school that was dickhead free.  

----- 

Kubota stared from off the roof and lit up his fifth cigarette.  He let the smoke slowly out in a thin stream.  Even though the sun was up, the wind made the roof a little cooler.  He liked it that way.  The coolness, the space, and the quiet.  Somehow people figured out that the roof was his during this period because he never saw anyone ever come up here even though the door was never locked.  Not even Matsumoto, on one of his council missions, would follow him up here.  Instead he'd wait until after lunch, and after Kubota made his way through his pack of cigarettes.  

Kubota walked over to the other side of the roof and looked down onto the courtyard.  He spotted Murota and Matsubara eating lunch on the grass.  Ainoura wasn't around, he noted, but probably he's in the computer lab, doing whatever Ainoura does.  His eyes scanned across the students eating their lunch.  Matsumoto always ate in the council office.  Tachibana may even be there now with him.  His term was starting instantly it sounded like.  Kubota's eyes kept moving across the yard.  The volleyball team was bouncing a ball over a line they had strung between some trees.  He smiled as he caught Sato, the school newspaper's editor, sliding through the bushes on the far side.  

"I hope he's looking for a story and not just too lazy to head inside for the bathroom."  Kubota chuckled to himself and turned his gaze down to the far corner of the yard.  His eyes suddenly rested on a figure walking down by one of the trees.  The figure stopped for a second, looked around, and then finally sat down on the grass and started to pick through what was most likely his lunch.  Kubota rested his arms on the roof's edge while he watched.  It was that new kid, Tokitoh. 

"He just called me an idiot."  He couldn't help but smile as he watched the kid start to eat.  Kubota chewed on his cigarette for a moment.  Out of all the kids he had seen at Araiso, this one definitely seemed…seemed…his mind blanked on the word.  Kubota shook his head.  Maybe missing that extra hour of sleep muddled him more than he had thought.  He was going to have to tell Matsumoto to can the early meetings.  "On the other hand," he thought aloud.  "If he hadn't, I would've missed meeting-"  Kubota stopped, his eyes narrowing.  Another figure came up to the new kid and sat down.  Kubota pushed his glasses back and leaned over the edge a little.

"Hiragi, isn't it?  My, my, my, what are you planning, young man?"                             

He couldn't easily tell what was going on between the two.  Hiragi was talking.  The new kid wasn't really responding, not that he could see anyway.  Then Hiragi put his arm around him.  

"Wanna see my doll collection…"  Kubota started to make up the dialogue between the two.  "It's on display at my home.  I like to change their clothes after school."  The new kid pushed Hiragi off of him and then stood up, looking pissed.  "Not a doll fan, huh?"  The new kid started to leave then but Hiragi got up quickly and took his arm.  Kubota watched silently now as Hiragi leaned in, but a few moments later it was over, and Hiragi was walking away.  The new kid just stood there for a second looking after him, and then started in the opposite direction, towards the school.  

Kubota thought back to what Matsumoto had said earlier.  "So what your little birds say about Hiragi is none to pleasant, hm?  Gosh, I can't imagine why."  He tapped his cigarette, letting the ashes fall over the edge.  He didn't believe for a second that Matsumoto's intentions were as pure as he came off, but this thing with Hiragi here…This could have some merit outside of petty politics.  He had never really paid any attention to either of the class representatives.  Not even Tachibana, who with his delicate good looks and quiet manner, was quickly earning the most "wanna-screw" label in the school from the other students.  He watched as Hiragi flitted from group to group down in the yard, putting his arm around one guy, tousling the hair of another.  Kubota leaned further over the edge, watching Hiragi as he moved about.  

"Class representative Hiragi Yo, what's your story, I wonder?" He asked aloud. 

"Whatever it is, it's probably as fucked up as he is."  A voice piped up from his left.  The suddenness of it surprised him enough that his mouth fell open, and he watched as his cigarette turned round and round as it made its way down.  He lost sight of it before it hit the ground.  Kubota turned his head to find the new kid now standing next to him, peeking over the edge.  

"Oh, your cigarette just fell."  He pointed out.  He kept looking over the edge.  "Ah, man, it fell in that kid's lunch.  Wait-wait, I don't think he noticed.  Still doesn't see it- still doesn't it."  Tokitoh was hanging halfway off the roof now.  "Ah, that's so gross.  Can you see?"  Kubota tried to follow where the kid was now pointing at, but his vision must be better than his.  All he could see was the back of one student's head sitting down on a bench right below them.  

"Still doesn't see it- going in with the chopsticks, oh man, don't do it- don't do it."  Kubota turned to see one of Tokitoh's feet leave the ground as he leaned further down.  The boy then let go of the edge and cupped his hands around his mouth.  "HEY, YOU!  LOOK AT YOUR LUNCH!  DON'T EAT THAT!"  He was silent for a second but then waved his arms about.  "Yes!  He sees it!  He tosses it away!  He's- hey, he's looking up!  Wave down at him!  HEEEEEEY!  DON'T BE PISSED!  IT WAS AN ACCIDE- agh!"  His shout out was cut off as Kubota grabbed the back of his jacket and pulled him off the edge.  Tokitoh looked back at him confused.  "What's up?"

"You were." Kubota leaned his back against the side.  "You were so up, you were about to be down."  

Tokitoh waved him off.  "I was fine."  He peeked over the edge again, this time more cautiously, Kubota noted.  "Hey, he's gone."  

"Probably scared of strange kids dropping things and yelling at him."  Kubota followed to where he was looking.  The bench was now empty.  

"Hey, I was just trying to warn him.  He should thank me."  Tokitoh scoffed and turned around.  "So whacha doing up here?"

Kubota turned and took out another cigarette.  "Trying to be alone," he said as he clicked open his lighter.  It took him a few times to light it, but finally the tip glowed orange and he slipped the lighter back into his pocket.  He looked up to find Tokitoh scowling back at him.  "What?"

"Whatever."  Tokitoh muttered and walked off to the other side of the roof.  Kubota watched as he reached the other edge.  Plopping down, he pulled out some things from his pockets.  Without looking back at Kubota, he started to unwrap one of the rice balls.

Kubota turned and rested his arms back on the edge.  A thread of smoke slipped out through his teeth.  He stood there for a few minutes looking down, the scattering of figures walking about below just seemed to blur together.  He turned halfway to see the new kid's head bowed, still eating the rice ball.  Kubota let out a long breath and started to walk over towards him.  As he neared him, Tokitoh didn't look up.  

Kubota stood for a second next to him, and then finally settled on the ground, stretching his legs out.  "So what are you doing up here?"

Tokitoh took another big bite.  "Trahing tobe awone, thaz all."  

Kubota nodded, trying not to laugh as Tokitoh's full mouth made his sentence all garbled.  "Why here?"

Tokitoh swallowed a sip from his can of tea and then spoke.  "'Cause at my old school the only place where it was quiet was either the roof or the old bathroom in the basement.  Since only losers hang out in bathrooms, I was always on the roof."

"Where it's loser-free, of course."  Kubota added.  

"Hell yeah."  Tokitoh looked over at him.  "Where's your lunch?"

Kubota just held up his pack of cigarettes.  

Tokitoh gave him an appalled look.  "You're shitting me.  That's your lunch?"

"I shit you not.  It is indeed."

"Don't you get like, hungry?"

"Nicotine suppresses your appetite, didn't you know?"  

"What are you, on a fucking diet or something?"  Tokitoh face was all screwed up with something that was most likely disgust.  

"Nope.  Just like to smoke.  Plain and simple."

"What a weirdo." Tokitoh said with another mouthful.  

Kubota only smiled back.  "That's me."    

They sat there silent for a few moments.  Kubota smoked and Tokitoh chewed.     

The other boy stopped eating and looked over at him.  "Why do you come up here?  I mean, you really wanna be alone?"

Kubota turned, and for a second didn't respond.  "It's quiet, and peaceful."

"And you can watch people."  Tokitoh added.

"And I can watch people."  Kubota nodded along.  "That too."

"And drop shit on them."  

"No, that's a new development.  Can't call that a habit yet."          

"Not like smoking or something."  Tokitoh took the last rice ball on the ground and began tossing it up in the air and then catching it.  

"No, not like that."  Kubota's eyes absently followed the ball as it went up and down.  

"So, you always come up here?"  Tokitoh asked.

"Yeah, most of the time."  Up and down.  Up and down.

"So that's another habit, huh?"  

"You could say that."  

They were quiet for another moment.  Tokitoh just kept tossing and catching the rice ball.  He opened his mouth to say something, but then suddenly they both heard a high pitched ringing sound.  It was the bell for the next class.  Lunch was now over.

Tokitoh looked over at the door to downstairs and then up at the sky.  Then sighing, he stood up.  "Guess it's back down, huh?"

"Yep."  Kubota didn't make a move to stand though.  

Tokitoh threw the rice ball up one more time, caught it and then turned and lightly tossed it towards Kubota.  Kubota caught it, but couldn't hide his look of surprise.  

"Here's a new habit then."  Tokitoh started towards the door.  "Only losers skip lunch, and losers can't be on the roof, right?"  With that said, he opened the door and was gone.  

Kubota stared after him and then turned to the rice ball in his hand.  "Right…"  He slowly opened the wrapping around the ball and took a few bites.  His mouth puckered when he got to the middle.  He had to give me the pickled plum one?  He stood up slowly, and still munching the rice ball, headed towards the stairs and to class.      

---- 

Even though he had left before Kubota, Tokitoh arrived to class later then him.  Kubota looked up from the table where he was working with Murota to see the door to the lab fly open and Tokitoh fall inside.  He was out of breath and wide-eyed as he looked around.  The entire class looked back at him.  Mr. Oda turned from the board where he was transcribing the directions for that day's experiment and stared at the new student.  

Tokitoh let out a long breath.  "I was…waiting in the upstairs class."  Some of the students snickered.  No one had thought to say that 6th period chemistry was not held in the section B room but in the lab on the first floor.  Tokitoh's face turned red and he glowered at those laughing.  

Murota nudged Kubota in the side.  "That new kid gets mad easy."

Kubota nodded as he glanced up from the test tube he was filling.  "It's kind of cute."  He then looked over his shoulder to see Murota giving him a funny look.  "What?"

Murota just shook his head and looked back to the front.  Oda was talking with Tokitoh and it looked like they were sorting out where he was to sit.  Most everyone was already partnered up for that day.  A hand shot up from the front of the class.

"There's an extra seat here, Mr. Oda."  Hiragi waved over to the seat near him.  Kubota noted that Tokitoh's glower darkened even more with Hiragi's offer.

"True, true, you could-you could sit over there-there, with Hiragi-kun."  Oda bobbed his little bald head up and down like a bird.  "Why don't you grab a book-book and-"

Tokitoh didn't let the teacher finish though.  Instead he walked down to the back of the class where Ainoura was sitting with his laptop.

"You got a partner?"  Tokitoh asked.

Ainoura looked up a little confused.  Most people left him alone since he always did his work on the computer.  "Uh….no."

Tokitoh dropped his bag, pulled a chair over to the table, and sat down.  "Now you do."  He didn't leave any room for Ainoura to object.  Oda finally just shrugged and went back to writing on the board.  

As the class progressed, Kubota would look over at the far table where Tokitoh and Ainoura were sitting.  At first Tokitoh was peering and pointing over Ainoura's shoulder at the computer, but later he stood up and began following the experiment's directions as Ainoura typed up the report.  

"Oi, Kubota."  Murota tapped him on the shoulder.  "We have to mix them now."  Kubota turned to see Murota pointing at the vial he was still holding.  

"Ah, sorry."  He moved to pour the vial into the beaker, but Murota caught his hand.  

"The directions say slow," he whispered hoarsely.  Kubota gave him an understanding nod and then slowly began to pour the contents of the vial out.   

"Hey!"  A shout from the side caused him to jump, and a second later, their table was covered in purple fizz.  

Murota made a grab for their lab report.  "Oi, Kubota!"  But Kubota had turned his head to where the shout had come from.  Tokitoh was standing at the window by his and Ainoura's table and pointing outside.  

"Hey!  Some kids are fighting out there!"  He turned his head to Ainoura.  "Look at that.  It's four against one!  What the fuck?"

Ainoura peered over Tokitoh's shoulder and out the window.  "Where are you- oh…oh, that Yutaka and his gang.  They're always at it with somebody."  

"Shouldn't we do something?"  Tokitoh  looked back and forth between Ainoura and the window.  "That kid's about to get the shit kicked out of him."

Ainoura turned to Kubota and Murota's table.  "Hey!  Who's on duty now?"  

Murota looked up from where he was mopping up the fizz.  "Doesn't Suzuki do 6th period?"

"Ah…"  Ainoura shook his head and turned to Tokitoh.  "Sorry, but that kid won't be helped anytime soon.  Suzuki's probably sleeping or worse."

"What do you mean?"  Tokitoh gave him a questioning look.  

Ainoura turned back to his computer.  "The EC, the Executive Committee usually tries to break up fights, but we can't do it all the time because we have classes too.  Suzuki, EC's head, is free this period, but he's not always dependable…"  Ainoura trailed off.

"What do you mean 'we'?"  Tokitoh asked as he continued to look out the window.

"I mean me, Murota and Kubota over there."  Ainoura pointed towards their table.  "We're a part of it.  There are some other members too, but they're in different classes."

"So, you're saying that because we're in class," Tokitoh pointed at the lab table, "that kid out there gets the shit beaten out of him?"

Ainoura sighed and shrugged.  "We can't skip class.  If Suzuki doesn't show up, we'll just have to talk to him later.  Until then, I hope that kid out there knows how to block."

Kubota watched as Tokitoh continued to fidget and stare out the window.  A minute passed and a whole mix of emotions went across his face- anger, impatience, a second of what looked like unhappy acceptance, then back to anger, and finally something that could only be called determination.  Kubota guessed what was going to happen before Tokitoh even lifted the latch, opened the window, and then without a backward glance, jumped down to the ground outside.

Ainoura called out after him.  "Hey, what are you doing?"

"Blocking!"  Tokitoh shouted as he started to run across the yard towards where the fight was.  Ainoura only stood by the window with his mouth open.  

Kubota walked up and peered over him.  After a moment he turned his head back to his table.  "Hey, Murota.  Study break."  

Murota looked up and at first didn't say anything.  But then nodding, tossed the wadded up paper towels in the trash and headed for the door. 

"No, no, no, shortcut."  Kubota called out and a moment later he was out the window.  Murota shrugged and followed suit.  Kubota stopped outside and turned around, looking up at the other classrooms above.  "Where's Matsubara right now?"

Murota paused for a second.  "…6th period…."  He pointed straight up.  "Third floor art room."  

Kubota cupped his hands around his mouth.  "MATSUBARA!"

Seconds passed and finally a familiar red head poked out of one of the third story windows.  "Kubota?  What is it?  Don't you know it's class now?"

Kubota only waved him down.  "STUDY BREAK!"  He then pointed to across the yard where Tokitoh had run to.  

Matsubara looked out and then back down.  "I'll get my equipment!"  With that he ducked his head back into the classroom and was gone.  Kubota turned towards Ainoura who was still standing inside the lab.  The rest of the class had gathered around him, all staring outside the window.  The only one who hadn't noticed the migration was Oda, who was still writing on the blackboard.  

Kubota looked towards Ainoura.  "You know what to do?"

Ainoura nodded.  "Go get Suzuki off his butt and then meet up with you guys."

Kubota flashed him a thumbs up and then started heading across the yard.  Murota followed him.  As Ainoura was turning, he caught another order from Kubota.

"And if you pass the health clinic, tell the doctor he'll need to free up some beds!"  With that said, Kubota sped up his pace.  From here he could now see what Tokitoh had seen from the class.  Four against one indeed.  No, wait, now it's two.  Kubota couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" Murota asked next to him.

"Nothing." Kubota smiled as they closed the distance between them and a rising dust cloud where he knew a growingly familiar figure was probably doing more than just blocking.  "Just- a new habit, I guess."      

---- 

^^  tbc- 


	4. Across Platform C part 4

Quick note:  Thanks for everyone who has reviewed so far.  This is one of the longest things I've written that's not school-related, so any comments or criticism is very much appreciated.  To answer one question posed, the poem bits and subsequent criticism about it in the last chapter were all made up for this.  Although taking an already written work may have been fun too.  Imagine the General's face if Kubota stood there critiquing "There once was a man from Nantucket".  You see, Sir, the bucket symbolizes the man's need for fulfillment…    

Warning: language still.  Also, except for the use of some themes from WA, most of everyone's history here and for the rest of the story is made up.  Unlike Wild Adapter, Minekura did not really developed the EC characters too deeply, so there's a lot of room to mess around with.  ^^;; 

Disclaimer:  All of Executive Committee/WA/Kubotoki-ness is owned by Minekura Kazuya.

Stay Here With 

Across Platform C – Part 4

People have told him that he's reckless.

That time in Shinjuku when he stopped a bicycle thief by jumping in front of him. It hurt to just breathe for a week after that, but he'd do it again.

People have told him that he's too rash.

That time after basketball practice when some of the juniors tried to "initiate" the first year players in the locker room.  He busted his hand then, but you should have seen the other guys.  

People have told him that he jumps before he thinks.

Getting into fights, sticking his nose in, jumping in front of trains.  He never stopped and thought about it.  He just did it.  His uncle, his teachers, the neighborhood cops, they all sat him down at one point and warned him to think before he acted, and try to understand the consequences.

He didn't understand why they didn't see the same consequences he saw.  That guy's bike was about to be stolen, or that kid was going to be beat up.  What was he supposed to do?  Just watch?  

"It's not your fight," the teachers said.  "That's what we're here for," the cops said.  

"It's not worth it," his uncle said when Tokitoh came home with a bruised face and a limp dog in his arms.  "You got involved and got hurt to help what?  A dead dog?"  His uncle just looked at him from the doorway, his face shadowed by the hall light glowing behind him.  But even though Tokitoh couldn't see his face, he knew the expression he was wearing, because it was the face he always had when his uncle looked at him.  

Tokitoh was so angry then he couldn't see straight.  His vision blurred, and something hot and wet slid down his face, streaking the blood and the dirt already there.  Still carrying the dog, he silently walked past his uncle in the doorway, stomped into the bathroom, and slammed the door.  There he just laid the dog on a towel and leaned against the door to the bath.  Holding up a wet washcloth to his face, he let the water in the cloth mix in with the water on his cheeks and he just sat there.  

That time when he brought the dog home was only a few months after the accident, when he woke up in his uncle and aunt's guest room with no memory, not of his parents, not of his life before.  Those months he spent just silently watching everything.  They hoped putting him back in school would snap him out of it.  His teacher had even taken aside some of his classmates and asked them to hang out with him during lunch or after class, just until he "got better".  He had been sent out on an errand to the office and wasn't supposed to have known about it, but the boys told him after school as they were running for the gate.  He didn't know what else to do but run with them, even though he knew they didn't really want him to be there.  For him, being alone then seemed the scariest thing in the world, scarier than boys being mean, scarier than a crying dog cornered in a back alley.   

He didn't tell his uncle that he had been with them then, that they had found the dog and played with it until one of them thought of a new game.  And he could only stand there as they threw what stones they could find.  He just stood back with his arms at his sides, watching it all.  But with every rock they threw he could feel his own hand around it until finally he couldn't stand there watching anymore.  The other boys didn't stop at first, like they couldn't see the difference between his body and the dog he was covering up.        

They tried pulling him off but he didn't move.  They told him they were leaving, that they would leave him, alone, but he still lay there.  They called him fucked up, but he sat there with his face in the dog's side.  Its fur felt soft against his skin, and with his eyes closed, he could almost believe that sound he heard was the dog's heart still beating and not his own.

Sitting there on the bathroom floor, the cold tile under his feet, the dead dog at his side, he could hear his aunt washing dishes and his uncle watching TV.  Childless before he fell into their life, they never knew how to handle him.  With no memory before waking up in their bed, he didn't know how to handle them.  They had this mutual acceptance of never understanding each other, which up until then he was afraid of, just as up until then he was afraid that someday he'd again wake up in some strange bed, alone.        

After that he always jumped first, hit first, moved first.  It didn't matter that he didn't know where he came from.  It didn't matter where he would end up from there.  It didn't matter if he got caught or hit back or kicked out.  It didn't matter if they said that they'd leave him, leave him all alone.  He figured out that he was already alone.  

Carrying the dog out into the small yard in the back, he buried it that night.  He could feel his uncle's eyes on his back, but he didn't turn around just as he didn't ask for help.  He could do it.  He could do it by himself.  With each shovelful of dirt he tossed, his thoughts grew more and more angry, and being alone, he could only be angry at himself.  

People have told him that he's reckless.

Never again-

People have told him that he's too rash.

Never again will he just stand there-

People have told him that he jumps before he thinks.

Never again will he just watch-

Because he knew what the consequences were. 

And he would rather be alone and jump than go along and say "It's not worth it.  It's not my fight."   

His backyard wasn't big enough to keep burying the truth that he could suddenly see so clearly.  

Faced with class, or the fight outside, it didn't take him long to decide.  And without thinking, he jumped.

----- 

He neared the group, and by then he could see one on the ground, and one on top holding him down, and three standing behind.  He was close enough that he actually recognized four of the boys from that morning at the train station.  "Can't these jerks get another hobby!" he spat as he picked up speed.  None of them saw him coming.  

One of the guys standing back finally looked up but before he could shout out a warning, Tokitoh was already in the air.  He knocked off the one holding the other student down, spun around, and kicked him again until the guy's butt was on the ground.  He stepped back then and brought his fists up.  Without turning around, he called out to the student still lying on the grass.  "You okay?"

"…holy shit, I mean, yeah."  The boy answered back.

Tokitoh heard the sound of ripping paper and he gave a quick glance behind.  The student had taken out a small pad and a pen and started furiously writing.  "What the hell are you doing?"

The student didn't seem to hear him.  He was muttering to himself as he continued writing.  "Swift justice came that day in the form of…"  He looked up then.  "What's your name?"

Tokitoh's eyes shot from the guy he just came down on, who was now slowly getting up to the student writing behind him.  "What?"

"Doesn't matter what his name is," the guy was now standing.  "'Cause pretty soon he ain't gonna need it."

"Oi, Yutaka, wait a sec."  One of the other boys tried to grab his shoulder.  "Isn't that the kid from the train?"

Yutaka stopped and gave him a look over.  "Fuck me.  I thought you would have been flattened.  Guess we're not so lucky, huh, guys?"  He started towards them.  

Tokitoh stepped forward, his fists still up.  "How the fuck would you know?  Wasn't that your ass I saw running away?"

"Nostrils flaring, they circled each other like bulls in the ring…" Tokitoh could still hear pen scratching across paper behind him.  "Who would throw the first punch I wondered…"

Tokitoh wanted to smack the guy across the head, but he was too busy keeping his eyes on Yutaka in front of him.  

Yutaka made a short wave to the other students.  "Shut him up, will ya?"  

His gang looked awkwardly at each other.  "Uh, Yutaka, weren't we just supposed to-"

"I said, SHUT HIM UP!"  

The gang again looked at each other and then started to advance on Tokitoh and the other student.  Tokitoh shifted his steps a little in trying to cover both of them.  

"Think you're hot shit, don't you?"  Yutaka stepped forward and their eyes locked.  "Think you can come in here and pull the same shit you did before.  Hate to break it to you, Moonie, but this place is ours and no fucking moon princess power is gonna help you here."  He jumped forward then, his right arm swinging.

"You know for a guy," Tokitoh dodged and moved to the left.  "You sure know a lot about girl's shit."  Sidestepping quickly, he finally found an opening and swung, hitting Yutaka in the jaw.  The other boy fell back a few steps, his hand to his face.  

"Amid the curses of battle, Yutaka's secret is revealed!"  The student that had been behind Tokitoh was now trotting around them, holding up his pad as he tried to outmaneuver the other three.  "Is he a closet shoujo-fan?  Or has he been hiding his feminine identity from the school all these years?"

"SHUT UP!  Yutaka shouted as he held his jaw.  "I have a SISTER, okay?  What the hell, you assholes can't handle one fucking guy!"  Yutaka started to move towards the student, but Tokitoh got in front of him.

"Running home already?" Tokitoh swung again, getting in another hit, but this time Yutaka recovered more quickly.

"You're gonna be so gone, they'll say you were never here!" Yutaka gritted his teeth and threw his fist forward, missing Tokitoh by only a few inches.  They both jumped back and then quickly circled again.  

"The dust was thick in the air."  Tokitoh heard from behind him.  "Thick enough to taste, and to this reporter, it tasted bitter."  

"SHUT UP!" Both he and Yutaka said at the same time.

"The opponents' anger was boiling over," the boy continued as if they hadn't said anything.  "But unbeknownst to the new student, other adversaries were striking from behind."

"What?"  Tokitoh half-turned when he heard this, leaving himself open for less than a second, but Yutaka took that moment and slammed a fist into his face.  Tokitoh reeled back from the hit.  He shook his head, trying to clear it from the fuzz, and moved forward again but suddenly he was grabbed from both sides.  He clenched his teeth as his arms were gripped and pulled behind him, then he felt another hand on the back of his head, yanking his hair.  A face moved into view.  It was one of the other gang members smiling down at him.  Tokitoh inwardly cursed himself for losing sight of them.  "Leggo!"

"Hold him still!"  Yutaka's lip curled as he raised his fist.  "This is too fucking easy."

Tokitoh tried not to close his eyes when the fist came down, but he couldn't help it.  What happened next though wasn't what he was expecting.  

"Easy, huh?"  A familiar voice came from behind him, and Tokitoh opened his eyes.  "I thought we went over this before, but obviously even the simplest words didn't get through.  So instead of saying, "No fighting on school grounds", would this be easier to understand?"  With that said, Kubota walked up, and without any warning, gave Yutaka a hard kick in the stomach, followed by another in the back. "How easy is that, Yu-ta-ka-kun?"

There was an audible grunt and the pressure from Tokitoh's sides and his head was gone.  He turned to see another student, the big guy from his class, standing behind him, holding two of the guys between his arms.  The third was on the ground, his head firmly underneath his shoe.  Tokitoh turned back to Kubota who continued to kick Yutaka until the boy was flat on the ground.  "Wh- why are you guys here?"

Kubota just smiled as he smushed his foot into Yutaka's shirt.  "Hey, any excuse to leave class is a good one.  Besides," He added while he dusted off his pants.  "Can't let you go and have all the fun."

Tokitoh didn't know how to respond.  He just looked from Yutaka who still lay on the ground to the guys being held behind him.  He opened his mouth to say something when the student that had been behind him during the fight suddenly jumped forward.  

"Kubota, can I have a statement?  What do today's events mean for the EC?  Will you start a practice of skipping classes for club activities?"

"Sato, Sato, Sato."  Kubota's voice was calm as he wrapped his arm around the student's shoulders and then with one hand gently took the pad of paper away.  "Let's put this away before anyone else gets hit, shall we?"  Sato opened his mouth to protest, but Kubota just shook his head and waved the book.  "If you don't want this, I'll keep it."  That shut him up, and he quickly took the pad and stepped back.  Kubota then turned to Tokitoh.

"You're leaking."  He said, pointing at Tokitoh's face.  

Tokitoh's hand went up and touched his nose.  His fingers came away red.  "Oh…"

"HEEEEEEEEY!"  They all turned to see two figures running towards them.  Tokitoh couldn't hide his surprise.  One of the students was his lab partner, Ainoura, and then a tall, older boy with short orange hair that spiked out in all directions.  

"Damn!"  The orange-haired student reached them first.  "What the hell, Kubota?  Tell me you didn't start this."

"Just finishing, Suzuki."  Kubota patted Tokitoh's shoulder.  "Or helped finishing it."

"Damn!" Suzuki said again as he looked around.  "Hey, Murota, you're crushing them!"  Murota's face drooped a little and he released the two students he was holding, and raised his foot off the third.  The students scrambled towards Yutaka who was just starting to sit up.  Once together, the three wrapped their arms around Yutaka, lifted him to standing, and then started to run back towards the school.  Murota went to follow, but Kubota waved him to stop.  

"It's not like we don't know who they are."  Kubota took out a cigarette and lit it.  "We can call them down later.  They know they can't avoid us forever."  

Suzuki just shook his head.  "Damn, did you really leave class for this?"  

Kubota gave Suzuki a leveled look.  "Well, it's not like there was someone else to do this?" 

Suzuki only shrugged.  "Murphy's law, Kubota.  You go to the bathroom and then shit happens."  

Ainoura, looking out of breath, finally got up to them.  "Ask him where he was, Kubota?  Go ahead."  Kubota only looked towards Suzuki, an eyebrow raised.

Suzuki scratched his head and looked away.  "Like I said, Murphy's law.  You leave school to get an ice cream and shit happens…"

Ainoura pointed to the student who was still writing in his pad.  "Sato wasn't fighting was he?"

"I was only acting out the freedom of the press!"  Sato looked up.  "And out of the darkness I was assaulted by-"

"Okaaaay."  Kubota reached out and gently guided Sato's back towards the school.  "Why don't you go with Suzuki here and give him your report.  We'll be in right after."  They all started to walk back, when Kubota turned to see Tokitoh still standing on the grass.  "Aren't you coming?"

Tokitoh gave them all a questioning look.  "What the hell's going on?"

Suzuki poked Murota.  "Who's the bleeder?"

Kubota turned and smiled.  "Right.  We should get the introductions done.  Everyone, this is Araiso's newest transfer student, second year, section B, Tokitoh Minoru.  Likes rice balls, sitting on the roof, and missing trains."

"Hey…"  Tokitoh gave him a warning look.  

"And here's, well, most of the Executive Committee." Kubota shrugged and first pointed to Tokitoh's lab partner.  "You know Ainoura."

Ainoura waved.  "Also the resident hacker."

"Don't ask him about the computer club.  They had a falling out." Kubota spoke to Tokitoh behind his hand.  

"Microsoft sellouts!" Ainoura clenched his fists.  "They didn't believe me when I said Linux was the future!"  A hand patted his shoulder and he looked up at that considerably more brawny-looking student that had been Kubota's lab partner.

"That's Murota there."  Kubota pointed.  "He has the honor of being Araiso's weight-lifting champion for the last three years." 

Murota turned a little red.  "No one else competes though."

Suzuki shrugged.  "Honestly, who would?  I mean, damn, look at these.  They're huge."  He held up one of Murota's arms. Turning a deeper shade of red, Murota pulled his arm away and suddenly got interested in his shoes.       

Kubota rested his hand then on Sato's shoulder.  "This here is Sato, third year, section D, and the editor-in-chief, as well as the only reporter for the Araiso newspaper."

"We're called the Advantage."  Sato beamed.

"Feel free not to take it."  Kubota ignored Sato's sour look then and pointed at Suzuki.  "And that's Suzuki, third year, section B, and the EC's…now what have you been calling yourself recently?"

"The Grand Pooh-Bah." Suzuki smiled proudly.

Tokitoh gave him a cross-eyed look.  "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Translation- it mean's he's our King Dork."  Ainoura shot in.  Then grabbing Sato's arm, he turned towards the school.  "Can we get back now before we miss the rest of classes today?"

Kubota nodded.  "You all go ahead."  He turned and taking out a handkerchief from his pocket, handed it to Tokitoh.  "I think I'll take this time to give him the tour of our lovely health clinic."

"Oh, I stopped by before I got here, Kubota," Ainoura turned back.  "He's at it again."

Tokitoh wasn't sure, but he thought he saw some of the other students go pale.  

"Am I missing something?" he asked.

Kubota just smiled and shook his head.  "Nothing for you to worry about.  Shall we go?"  

Tokitoh could only nod as he kept the handkerchief to his nose.  It had started to throb, and he didn't want to think about what it looked like.  He grimaced at what his uncle was going to say when he got home.

"Something wrong?"  Tokitoh looked up to see Kubota's gaze on him.  He must have noticed his change in expression.

"…ah…it's nothing."  Tokitoh shook his head.  

Kubota shrugged in response and looked on.  "Uh-uh, here comes Matsubara."  They all looked down the field to see another figure running towards them.  "Murota, why don't you catch up to him and tell him we're done."  Murota nodded and headed towards the other figure.  

Tokitoh looked after them for a moment before turning.  "What's that kid wearing?"

"That's Matsubara.  EC's very own kendo student.  He always likes to wear the uniform when on duty and in a moment he's going to be little pissed that he left class and changed for nothing."  Kubota dropped an arm around Tokitoh's shoulder as they walked.  "Ah, well, Murota can handle him."  

Tokitoh turned his head and looked at the hand on his shoulder, but didn't say anything.  Instead he just kept walking, still holding the handkerchief to his nose.  

"It smells like cigarettes," he thought to himself.  

------ 

When they got to the health clinic, they found Dr. Matsuda is one of his "fits".  

"Don't let the squirrels in!" he yelled out from behind a bed when Kubota opened the door.  

"No squirrels, Doctor.  Just us."  Kubota lightly bowed his head, and dragged in a now-guarded Tokitoh.  

"What's his deal?" he hissed as Kubota steered him towards one of the beds.

"Shhhhh....Just wait a sec."  With that Kubota sat him down and then walked over to the man behind the bed.  "…Dr. Matsuda?"

"Kubota?"  The man peeked out from behind the mattress.  "Did you see them?  They've been trying to get in all day."

Kubota shook his head.  "It's all clear, now, Doctor."  

Matsuda stood up warily from the bed.  "Nothing's out there?"  Kubota just nodded. 

Matsuda's mouth made a firm line then and he started to walk to his desk.  "This is my chance then."  He grabbed a stack of papers from the top and headed for the door.  "I have to drop these off down at the main office.  Watch the clinic until I get back, Kubota."  His hand was on the door but he then turned, "and make sure not even a paw gets-"  Suddenly the doctor's eyes widened when he saw Tokitoh sitting on the bed.  "Wait.  Who's that?"

Kubota gave him a blank look.  "Who's who?"

The doctor pointed towards Tokitoh.  "That boy over there.  The one bleeding."

Kubota looked over to the bed and then back to the doctor.  "I don't see anything there, Doctor."  Tokitoh's eyes shifted from the doctor to Kubota but didn't say anything.  

Matsuda squinted and took a step towards the bed.  

Kubota reached over and tapped his fingers on the desk, and then turned his head towards the window.  "Did you hear that?"

Matsuda's head shot up.  "What?"

Kubota started towards the window.  "Sounded like something from outside…"

Matsuda blanched and spun around.  "I have to get out of here now!"  He flung open the door and while running out, called out behind him.  "Don't let any of them in!  Hear me, Kubota?"

"Hai hai,"  Kubota sighed and shut the door.  He turned to see Tokitoh still on the bed, holding his nose and giving him a bewildered look.

"Is everybody in this place crazy?" he asked.  Holding his nose, his voice had a slight nasal sound.  

"Just the crazy ones."  Kubota gave him a weak smile and walked over to the small fridge in the back.  Opening the freezer, he fished around until he finally brought out an ice pack.  "Dr. Matsuda had a bad experience at the Yokohama Zoo last year.  Fell into one of the exhibits and never seems to have recovered."  He handed the ice pack to Tokitoh.  "I think this will be his last year here."

"Maybe the next guy won't be as nutso." Tokitoh took the pack and brought down the handkerchief.  His nose still throbbed, but it looked like the bleeding stopped.  He put the pack to his face and grimaced when it touched his skin.  

"We can only hope."  Kubota pulled a chair over and sat down.  

Tokitoh looked at the bloody handkerchief in his hand and frowned.  "Sorry about…" He gingerly held it up.  

Kubota just shook his head, giving him a small smile.  "Call it a souvenir of your first day."  Tokitoh nodded and looked down, puffing out his cheeks.  They sat there silent for a minute. 

"…don't you have class or something?"  Tokitoh finally asked.  "You don't got to wait for me."

Kubota shrugged.  "I'm on squirrel-duty, remember?  Besides, it doesn't matter to me if I get to class or not."

"Then why do you come to school?"  Tokitoh asked.  "If you don't like class, why are you here?"

"Good question," Kubota thought to himself.  In response he simply shrugged again.  "I guess I just like coming here."

"Is it because you like being in that EC group?"

"Hm, yeah, that's part of it.  I like being with them."  Kubota nodded.  

"You guys really stop fights and all?"  Tokitoh took away the ice, tried to twitch his nose, and then brought the pack back up.  

"When we see them, yes.  That's our job- to enforce the rules that the student council has for the school."

"That's…kinda cool."  Tokitoh looked back at him.  "My other schools, it was like, every kid for yourself.  Not even the teachers would stop it when kids were beating on other kids.  They'd just close the doors.  I hated that shit."

"I would never have thought that."  Kubota smiled when Tokitoh gave him a confused look.  "Well, look, this morning?  Just now outside?  It's like you have a personal mission to right any wrong you see."

"So?  What the hell's wrong with that?"  Tokitoh turned defensive.  

"Nothing.  Just, I'm curious."  Kubota leaned back in his chair.  "Why do you do it?"

"Just because, because it's there."  Tokitoh expression darkened a little.  "Isn't that enough?"  

"Not for most people.  Most people wouldn't jump on the train tracks to pick up someone's bag, or leave class through the window to stop a fight.  Not unless they got something out of it.  So…"  Kubota then leaned forward, "What do you get out of it?  Does it make you feel good?  Is it the danger-quotient?  Or do you just like to hit people?"

Tokitoh just looked at him without responding.  His eyes had narrowed, and even with the ice pack covering half his face, Kubota could tell he didn't like these kinds of questions.  Tokitoh looked away for a second and then returned his gaze.  "I just do it because I do it.  I don't think about it.  I don't give a shit about what people think about me.  I do it because….because I just can't not do it.  I just can't sit there and watch."  He took away the ice pack and gingerly felt his nose.  "…so that's it.  Does that answer your question?"

Kubota just looked at him for a few moments. "…yes, it does."

Tokitoh started to get up, "Look, I don't need to be baby-sat.  What don't you just go back-"  He stopped when suddenly the door to the clinic flew open.  Kubota turned, expecting to see the doctor, but instead was met with another familiar face.

"Still here, huh?"  Sato walked over and plopped on the bed next to Tokitoh.  "Hey, thanks for earlier, right?"  With that said, he brought out his pad from his pocket.  "You got time for an interview?  I already have a great title for the story.  "Fists of Fury- New Transfer Student strikes out against the Araiso Underworld."  Pretty snappy, huh?"  

"What the-"  Tokitoh shifted away from Sato on the bed.  "I don't want an interview!"

"C'mon-c'mon-c'mon."  Sato moved forward.  "How about a quote?  Your sign?  Blood type?"

Kubota sighed and stuck an arm between the two, pulling Sato back.  "Can this wait, Sato?"

"Geez, Kubota, don't get jealous."  Sato pouted.  "I'll ask you some questions too."  He turned his focus back to Tokitoh who had backed up to where the bed met the wall.

"Why don't I ask YOU a few questions?" Kubota offered.  "Like why were you out there?  Why did Yutaka attack you?"

Sato turned and his expression changed to indignation.  "I'll tell you what happened.  I was set-up!"

"What do you mean "set-up"?"  Tokitoh asked, moving forward a little.  

Sato turned to him, his eyes wide.  "I mean, snared, trapped, caught in the web of deceit that wraps this whole school like...like a web, a net of lies that choke out-"

"Okaaaaay."  Kubota interjected.  "Why would anyone want to set you up?  Hm?"  

"I was supposed to meet a contact."  Sato took a breath and calmed down a little.  "For this lead I thought I had.  He asked to meet me outside, but when I got there, Yutaka and his squad were waiting instead.  Then he came in."  He pointed to Tokitoh.  "And then you and the EC, and that's it."

"What kind of story are you doing that someone would want to beat you up?"  Tokitoh asked.  

Sato only shook his head.  "Too early to talk about.  Besides, I have to keep my contact's privacy."

"So he can just set you up more?  What the fuck?"  Tokitoh held up his hands in frustration.  

"It's not like that.  You see, I have a feeling that…"  Sato paused and motioned them to come closer.  When both Kubota and Tokitoh had leaned in, he continued in a loud whisper.  "…I don't think it was him that did it.  I think it was someone else."  

"The plot thickens then."  A voice from behind them spoke up.  All three turned to see another figure leaning in the open doorway.

"Ah, Matsumoto."  Kubota nodded.  "Need something?"

"I need to talk to you," Matsumoto looked at the other two.  "Alone."  

Kubota didn't get up.  "Can it wait till later?"

Matsumoto raised his eyebrows.  "I'd rather not."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm on squirrel-duty.  You understand."  Kubota replied and turned back to the bed.  Tokitoh's eyes shifted from Kubota to Matsumoto.  Sato started to write in his pad again.  

Matsumoto shrugged and walked into the clinic.  "I don't mind if we have an audience, but it has to be off the record."  He pointed towards Sato who was still writing.

Sato looked up.  "The press is not a faucet that you can just shut off, Matsumoto.  Everything I hear is open to be printed."

Matsumoto looked coolly back at him.  "Sato.  Who in this room decides club budgets?"  

Sato's eyes narrowed a little.  "Are you threatening the Advantage?"

Kubota puffed out his cheeks, stood up, and started to direct Sato towards the door.  "Why don't you go interview the other EC members for your story first, Sato."

"But I already talked to-" Kubota then shut the door, and they could all hear Araiso's newspaper editor still talking in the hall.  

Matsumoto turned back to Kubota.  "Can we leave now?"

Kubota walked back to his seat.  "I'm not done yet.  If you want to talk, talk.  Otherwise wait till later."

Matsumoto frowned towards Tokitoh but didn't leave.  "Fine.  Have it your way.  What's this I hear that EC members left class to perform duties, and without even wearing arm bands?  You know that's against the rules.  When Ikeda here's about this, he's going to blow up."

"Once again we return to the not-so-surprising fact that I care nothing for what the council president thinks about me."  Kubota took out a cigarette and lit it.  

Matsumoto scrunched his face up in disgust as Kubota started smoking, but continued.  "And to do it in front of Sato?  It's going to be everywhere by tomorrow."

"Oh?  It'll take him a day or so for lay-out though I think."  

Matsumoto sighed in frustration.  "Why don't you understand that whatever the EC does reflects on the student council?  When you all move out of line, it loses legitimacy for the rest of us."

"Or just legitimacy with you, future candidate?" Kubota turned towards him.  "Isn't that why you're angry really?  You think we'll make you look bad?"

Matsumoto's lip curled.  "Once again, Makoto, you turn everything around with your own twisted thinking."  

Kubota opened his mouth to reply but Tokitoh began before him.   "Look…I don't understand what you all are talking about, but it's not his fault."  He nodded towards Kubota.  "It was me who started it.  They just came and helped out."

Matsumoto turned to look at Tokitoh.  "You're the new student right?  From Tokyo?"  Tokitoh nodded.  "Well, then.  I don't know what kind of rules they had at your previous school, but here, fights on campus are not allowed.  Do you understand?" Matsumoto gave him a look of strained patience, like he was talking to a five year old.

"No, but maybe if you finger-painted me a picture, I'd get it."  Tokitoh shot back.  "What the fuck?  You think I don't know that?  That's why I was out there, you moron, to stop a fight!"

Matsumoto's face darkened.  Kubota tried to hide a smile.  He couldn't remember when someone last called Matsumoto any names.  Well, there was that "eligible receiver" reference in that article Sato wrote…

"That's a very nice sentiment," Matsumoto's tone was curt, "but stopping fights in not your job.  You are here to study and represent Araiso and that means-"

"Fucking bull shit!"  Tokitoh sat up.  "Represent what?  A bunch of jerks who expect me to sit there and do shit and watch while others fight it out? Who the hell can do that?"

"As I said before," Matsumoto spoke slowly.  "This is NOT your job."

Tokitoh stood up and took a step towards him.  "Then I'll MAKE it my job! "  Right then there was a sudden loud rap on the door and all three turned to see Principal Takahata standing there.

"Ahem."  He started, giving both Kubota and Matsumoto a look, and finally resting his eyes on Tokitoh.  "Tokitoh-kun, my office, NOW."  The Principal stood there waiting, and Tokitoh finally walked towards the door.  He glared at Matsumoto as he passed, but then stopped when he felt a hand take his wrist.  He looked down at Kubota who just gave him a calm smile and then let go.  Looking down at Kubota, he didn't see the surprise on Matsumoto's face when it happened.  Takahata coughed again, and Tokitoh turned and they both left the room.

Matsumoto was silent for a moment and then finally sat down.  "Now that THAT'S over with…."  He looked towards Kubota whose eyes were still on the door.  "They really let in ANYONE these days.  Hey, where are you going?"

Kubota had gotten up and was heading for the door.  "Just what you said a student should do here.  Represent Araiso."

"What?"  Matsumoto started to follow him, but Kubota raised his hand to stop him.

"Uh-uh, you stay here.  Squirrel-duty, remember?"  He tapped Matsumoto lightly on the nose, then turned and left the room.  He smiled as he heard the old familiar hiss of "asshole" as he closed the door.  

Kubota started down the hall, chewing on his cigarette while he thought things out.  For this to work, he was going to need someone else.  "Hopefully Suzuki won't be out for ice cream again…"    

----- 

^^ -tbc  


	5. Across Platform C part 5

[ttg1] There may not be a next part for a few more weeks (like spring break ^_^)  I'm sorry this section took so long.

Disclaimer:  Minekura owns all that is EC/WA and Kubotoki. 

Warning – swearing

Note – Just in case for those who don't know, the Japanese school year starts in April and ends in March.  The time for APC is early June of Kubota and Tokitoh's sophomore year.     

Stay Here With

Across Platform C – part 5

Kubota walked down the hall and finally came to the last room on the left.  He opened the door without knocking.

Peering inside, he spotted Ainoura typing away at his laptop by the window.  Outside of him, the EC's room was empty.  Kubota lightly rapped on the side of the door and Ainoura looked up from the screen.

"Ah, Kubota, what's up?" he asked.

"Mm, nothing much.  Have you seen Suzuki?"  Kubota leaned his arm on the door.

"Suzuki?"  Ainoura scratched his head.  "I think he's got drawing now.  Not sure though.  Murota always knows these things, but he's doing rounds."  

 "Drawing…"  Kubota tapped his chin, thinking.  "Third floor, right?"

Ainoura nodded.  "Why?  What's going on?"

"Mm.  Nothing.  I'll zee you later then."  With a wave, Kubota started to close the door.

"Hey, Kubota, how's the new kid doing?"  Ainoura called out, stopping him.

Kubota looked up and then after a second, shrugged.  "Fine, probably."

Ainoura nodded again. "Well, if you see him tell him we all thought what he did was kinda cool."

Halfway closing the door, Kubota stopped and looked up.  "…Sorry.  What was that again?'

Ainoura gave him a puzzled look.  "I said it was kinda cool, what the new kid did.  Hey…you okay?"  

Kubota didn't hear him.  Leaning against the doorway now, he was suddenly lost in thought.  Kinda cool…huh?  Funny…he had just heard that….He scratched his head.  What was it…just a little while ago…oh right, back in the infirmary, but there it was the other way around.  Then it had been…  

_"You guys really stop fights and all?"_

_"When we see them, yes.  That's our job- to enforce the rules that the student council has for the school."_

_"That's…kinda cool."  _

The ice pack had covered up half the other boy's face when he had said it, but even so, it couldn't hide his expression fully.  Sitting down by the bed, Kubota had read something in his eyes.  Surprise?  A little impressed?  Or maybe-

"HELLOOOO, Kubota!"

He looked up at to see Ainoura waving at him.  "Man, did you just space out or what?  You okay?  You've been funny all day."

Kubota blinked.  "…Yeah.  I'm fine…What do you mean by funny?"

Ainoura's shrugged.  "You know, funny.  Strange.  Weird.  Like today in chemistry."

"What about it?"

"I mean, I'm glad we helped and all, but you're the last person I'd expect to go out the window to stop a fight.  No offense, Kubota, but that's just not you."

"What do you mean "it's not me"?"

"I mean, you're in the EC right.  I mean, we'll are a part of it but…"  Ainoura looked a little uncomfortable trying to answer Kubota's question.  The taller boy's face kept its usual expressionless appearance, but behind his glasses, his eyes held an intensity that Ainoura found a little unnerving.  "You just…never really seemed into it before.  Like you just…didn't really care.  That's why it was strange, today, I mean….like, why now?  I mean...you know?"  As he talked, he started to shrink back into his seat.  Kubota just kept looking at him.        

"…just didn't care before?"

"I mean, no offense, it's just-"

Kubota held up his hand, stopping him.  "No, it's okay.  You're right.  There's definitely something…funny about today."  He shrugged and started to slide the door shut.  "I'll see you later."

As he closed the door, he couldn't help but overhear Ainoura let out a loud sigh and mutter, "Wow, I should just keep my mouth shut…"

Kubota stood in the hallway for a moment.  He puffed out his cheeks and let out a long, slow breath.  

Was he acting funny?  He rubbed his neck thinking as he started to walk towards the stairs.  Him?  What was so funny about him and today?

He was late to school, but that wasn't anything different.  Yeah, the train station thing, but still.  Not strange at all.  Well, alright, granted, the train station thing was *different*, but still.  Classes weren't different.  Lunch wasn't different.

Okay, lunch was different.  But still, everything else was the same-

Well, alright, leaving class for the fight was a little…and then the health clinic...

And then right now…

What Ainoura had said back in the EC came back to him then.

_Like you just…didn't really care.___

Alright, granted, he wasn't *really* surprised about what Ainoura had said.  It didn't bother him though.  That's how he always was.  Always cool Kubota- nothing ever gets to him- no one ever gets to him.

Admittedly, there was something that scratched at the back of his mind, like a pick chipping away at his brain.  He couldn't help but scratch his head just thinking about it.  And then what Ainoura had said next...  

_That's why it was strange, today, I mean…like, why now?  _

No matter how much he scratched, he couldn't answer that question.  

Funny, more than anything their conversation reminded him of something he hadn't thought about in a long time.  It had been back when he had started the EC, and when he met another boy whose sole goal outside of reaching the level of student council was to challenge him.     

His mind started to flood over with memories and he shook his head, trying to clear it.  

Something was definitely funny about today….  

_"So why are you here?"  _

It had been their first meeting after the semester had started, and Kubota's first time with all the other junior high EC members.  Someone had gone over to the beer vending machine by the 7-11 and brought back some cans to share.  Classes were over for the day, and they were all sitting out the rest of the afternoon in the EC office with an impromptu "welcome" party.  Kubota took a sip from his can and looked over to the student who had questioned him.  Matsumoto something.  Kubota rarely remembered names and everybody was new to him there.  

"Because the principal said that if I was going to break fingers, I should do it under the school's "authority".  That or get kicked out.  So here I am."  Kubota held out the can to the other student and he gingerly took it.  "What about you?  Are you a finger-breaker too?"

Matsumoto-something shook his head and then took a careful sip.  "I thought this would be a good way to understand the student council better.  Their rules and such."

"If that's it, then why not just read that book that we all got when we came in here?  It explained all the rules pretty clearly I thought."  Kubota fished around in his pockets until he finally found his pack of Seven Stars.

"You read that book?" Matsumoto looked over at him. "For some reason that surprises me." 

"I'm full of surprises." Kubota shrugged and lit a cigarette up.  "Besides, I'll read anything once."

"Did you read the part about no smoking on campus too?"

Kubota took a slow drag and then breathed out, letting the smoke slip out through his lips.  "It did say that, didn't it?  Same page with, now what was it… no drinking, I believe."  He held up the pack towards Matsumoto.  "You want one?"  The other student just shook his head.  Kubota shrugged again and placed the pack in front of him.  "So, you're here for what again?  Because you wanted to get into the student council, was it?"

Matsumoto's brow furrowed.  "That's not what I said."

Kubota only smiled back.  "But that's what you meant, right?"

The other boy frowned.  "Do you always go around assuming about people?"

Kubota leaned back into his seat.  "Just saying as I see it, that's all."

Matsumoto paused and then placed the beer on the desk between them.  "Want to hear what I'm assuming about you right now?"

Kubota brought down his cigarette and looked at him.  "This is getting fun," he thought to himself.  Aloud he said, "Say what you like.  Free country, right?

With his elbows on the desk and fingers clasped together, Matsumoto's mouth was hidden behind his hands.  "I see a kid who thinks he's in control, but he really isn't.  If he was, he wouldn't be here, because it wouldn't matter if he got kicked out for breaking fingers or whatever else he does.  But he doesn't have control and it does matter, so now he's here, breaking fingers under someone else's "authority".  That's how I see it from here, but maybe I'm assuming too much on too little."

Kubota just looked back at him for a moment, and then slowly reached over and tapped his cigarette over an already used cup, the ashes mixing into the small amount of beer left in it.  His gaze then turned back to Matsumoto.  "But who's really in control here?  Those who give us the rules, or us who enforces the rules?  It's a relationship of mutuality, isn't it?  They need us, and we can do what we want.  Freedom to break rules or fingers as long as they can at least feel-" and he spoke the next words slowly, as if savoring them, "that their image of civility is preserved.  You disagree?"

Matsumoto looked at him for a moment and then lifted the can of beer to his mouth, tipping his head back until it was finished.  He then turned and in one smooth motion, tossed the can into the bag of empties over on the far table.  It swished through the plastic and clanged against the other cans.  

"If it's freedom that you want, then why are you here?  Freedom wouldn't be following any rules but your own."  He turned back to Kubota who was watching him from his seat.  "Like I said before, I see a kid working under someone else.  And you were right.  I'm here because I want to join the student council, and the EC is known to be a good way of getting in.  Because I don't want to be working under someone else my whole life.  I'd rather be the one on top."

"Something tells me that you're not the top-kind of guy."  Kubota said as he slowly stood up.  They faced each other then, eye to eye, although with Kubota's height, Matsumoto had to look up.  

"Believe what you like.  Free country as you said."  Matsumoto said between his teeth.

"I know what I see." Kubota smiled back.

Matsumoto took a step towards him, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.  He turned to see an upperclassman in the EC smiling at both of them.  His cheeks were already a bright red, and he swayed a little as he laughed.                 

"Damn, you guys are hitting it off good!"  Their sempai took both their arms and brought them closer together.  "It's a party and all, and we probably should wait until later to do all the admin crap, but hey, if you guys are friends already, then we can start to settle on schedules."  Their sempai then turned his head and called out to another student who was already writing down into a pad of paper.  "Hey, sign up Matsumoto and…"  He turned back to Kubota.  "Sorry.  Too many beers.  Your name again?"

"Kubota Makoto," he replied simply.

"Right.  And Kubota here.  Sign them up for hall duty 4th period.  They look like they'll do well together."  Their sempai smiled at them and gave them both a heavy slap on the back.  He leaned forward a little too much, and both Matsumoto and Kubota had to hold his shoulders to support him.  "Ah…sorry…too many beers.  You guys will be alright though."  He gave Kubota a crooked smile.  "I'll teach you the EC shake."  He held out his hand and Kubota took it.  His sempai squeezed it three times and broke off suddenly.  "That's it!  Now you do it!"

"Ah, Suzuki, not that stupid handshake again!" another classmate yelled from behind them.

"Shaddup!  It's cool 'cause it's secret!" Their sempai yelled back and then turned to them.  "Now you do it to him."  He pointed to Matsumoto.  They looked at each other for a moment without saying anything, and then Kubota smiled and held out his hand.  After a beat, Matsumoto took it.  

"That's cool.  You guys'll be great partners!"  Suzuki turned and swayed back to the other side of the room where a few unopened cans were still lined up.  "Damn, I love this club!"

"Man, can we cut him off already?"  Someone cried out as the other EC members went to go separate Suzuki from the drinks.  No one saw that Matsumoto and Kubota were still standing in mid-hand shake.

"Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other."  Matsumoto smiled, but his eyes were narrowed as he looked back at Kubota. 

Kubota only returned the gaze.  "That's what it looks like…partner."  Seconds passed and they finally pulled their hands back.  Kubota slipped his hand then into his pocket and noted that Matsumoto did the same.  Now neither could see the other slowly try to move their fingers, working them back into circulation.

Kubota couldn't help but smile thinking back to that day as he neared the art room.  Matsumoto's grip was always a hard one.  It would probably be that way until he finally reached that top point he sought so much.  Kubota smirked.  Matsumoto used to get so mad at him when he told the other boy he wasn't the sort who "rode on top".  Kubota knew he was right though.  He knew his former partner too well.  Out of the two of them, he knew on that day Matsumoto's fingers hurt more even though Kubota had held back from crushing them completely.

He slid open the door to the drawing studio and looked around.  Students were set up all over with easels, sketch pads and paints, all facing a bowl of fruit and a water vase on a desk in the middle of the class.  He stepped through the doorway and started to walk around.  

"Nice use of color." He pointed to one student who was doing all the fruits in different shades of blue.  "The lines of light on the apple are really clear."

"Ah, thanks."  The student turned to him and smiled.  "Oh, hey, Kubota. Why are you here?"

"Looking for Suzuki.  This is his class, right?"  Kubota turned to look around the room.

"Ah, Suzuki…he was here in the beginning…"  The student glanced around.  "Hey, is Suzuki gone?"

Another head then popped up from behind an easel in the back.  "Ah, that lame-o left for the bathroom like ten minutes ago and hasn't come back."

"He took the figure model book with him, so he'll probably be awhile," added another student sitting in a stool by the door.

"Again?"  The boy painting the blue fruit started stabbing at his paints.  "He did that last time and didn't even wipe it off.  His ass is grass when he gets back."

 "Don't worry.  I'll take care of it."  Kubota just patted his shoulder and smiled down at him.  

"Thanks," the boy turned back to his painting.  "And when you see him, make sure he brings that book back clean."

"Hai hai."  Kubota gave them a final wave and started towards the door.

"Man, did anyone else see that one new kid today?" a student drawing by the window asked out to the class.

Halfway in closing the door, Kubota stopped and looked up.

"You mean that kid fighting outside?"  A student in the back asked.  "How could you not?  I bet he's in deep shit now though."

"Yeah, his ass is probably already out of here."  The boy painting by the door jumped in.  "Too bad though.'  He clicked his tongue.  "It was a cute ass.  I wouldn't mind going after some- AHH!"  He suddenly jumped back, falling out of his stool as the can of water to clean his brushes spilled all over his lap.  "What the-"

"Oh, clumsy me."  Kubota looked down at him with an apologetic smile.  "Here, let me help you up."  Without waiting for a response, he reached down and took the boy's arm, lifting him to his feet.  The boy looked back at him wide-eyed.  "I'm so sorry.  Now you'll have this," he waved towards the large wet spot on the boy's crotch, "for the REST of the day.  Is there anything I can do?"

"uh-uh…no, I'm fine."  The boy was looking at his arm which Kubota still held.  "It's-it's okay.  I can clean up in the back."  He shakily nodded to a sink on the other end of the class.

"Ah, well that's good."  Kubota smiled and finally let go.  He turned and gave a last wave to the now silent class.  "Thanks for all your help," he winked and left.

As he closed the door, he couldn't help but overhear one of the students hissing to the boy who still stood by the door staring at his wet pants.  "Yo, I don't know what you did to get Kubota mad at you, but you better watch your own ass for now on and not some other kid's."

Kubota started down the hall towards the boy's bathroom.  He scratched his head absently.  

He wasn't *mad*.  Why would he be mad?  There was nothing to be mad about…

And it was an accident, sort of.  He had been aiming for the kid's sketch pad, but the boy had leaned back when he was talking about Tokitoh's-

Alright, granted, maybe he felt *something* then, but he wasn't *angry*.  Kubota's steps quickened.  Why would he care what other people thought about the new kid?  Always cool Kubota- nothing ever gets to him.  Isn't that what everyone says?  He nodded to himself as if affirming his own thoughts.  

Always cool Kubota- no one ever gets to him.

"So what if he has a cute ass…" he muttered as he reached the bathroom.  Kubota suddenly stopped.  The next second he found his head leaning against the door.  "What am I talking about?" he asked softly to himself.  

Always cool Kubota- nothing ever gets to him, always on his own. That's always been the way with him.  No matter what anyone said.  Not even Matsumoto could make him believe differently.  He shook his head, his bangs swaying before his eyes.  Like another wave, memories that seemed so far away suddenly washed back up.  

There was definitely something funny about today…

_"So why are you here?"_

Kubota turned from his bowl of noodles.  School had been out for hours, and he was sitting at the ramen stand near the gate.  Matsumoto took the stool next to his.  "Don't you ever go home, Makoto?"

"Occasionally, yes.  Have to do laundry some time, you know?"  Kubota dipped his head and went back to slurping the noodles up.  

"Oh, I didn't know they had washers in the circle of hell that you're from."  Matsumoto motioned to the old man behind the counter.  "A can of tea, please."

"Oh, we're fully stocked.  You wouldn't know it was hell except for the screaming souls all around you."

"Your uncle makes that much noise?"  Matsumoto took the can of tea that the old man handed him, popped the tab, and took a sip.

"Only when I drink all his beer."  Kubota smiled and taking Matsumoto's can from him, took a long drink.

"You could get your own, you know?"  Matsumoto scowled as he took the can back.  It was half gone now.

"Ah, but this is more fun."  Kubota smiled.  "You can take some of my soup if you want."

"I'll pass."  Matsumoto turned on his stool so his back was now leaning against the counter.  "When do you go back?  Don't you and your uncle eat dinner together?"

"Sometimes."  Kubota shrugged.  "It's easier for both of us to be separate though.  He doesn't feel obligated to cook, and I don't feel obligated to eat his cooking.

"Funny.  I can't see you being obligated to anyone." 

"It's not one of my hobbies, true."  Kubota looked over to see Matsumoto staring out at the street and the cars and people passing.  His expression was of patient boredom, his most usual look, especially when they were sitting in the EC room or walking the halls.  Although they had been "partnered" for almost two years, and now into their first year at the high school, their conversations were still limited to mostly short and insulting, but for them it was something Kubota would almost call "comfortable".  They knew what to expect from each other, and no matter how sharp their speech was, they both could still expect the other to be there during a fight.  Matsumoto didn't have the arm for a good punch, but he spotted better than most, and together they had earned enough of a reputation that they could stop most quarrels by just being seen.  

Matsumoto interrupted his thoughts then.  "Do you get along, with your uncle I mean?"

"Well enough."  Kubota shrugged.  "We kind of just stay out of each other's way mostly.  He works and I do what do.  It's easy."  He paused for a second as he took a sip from his bowl.  "It doesn't matter really, or it won't soon."

"Why?"

"Because I'm moving out."  With his head down, Kubota couldn't see Matsumoto's face right then.  His eyes flicked up to look behind the counter where he saw that the small TV set up in the back reflected the image of his partner who was now turned to fully face him. 

"What?"     

Kubota didn't  look up  to his question.  "I'm going to have my own place."

"How?" Matsumoto's voice cracked a little.  "That and…why?"

Kubota wiped his mouth with his napkin and pushed his bowl away.  'It's just something being taken care of.  And it's something I've been thinking about for awhile.  Me staying at Kasai-san's just temporarily delayed it."

"Oh…"  Matsumoto dropped his elbows on the counter and sat there silent for a few moments.  "…Isn't that weird though?"

"What is?"

"You living on your own?  I mean, c'mon, you're a freshman.  How's this going to work?"

Kubota just shrugged again.  'There's not much to question really.  It'll work because that's the way it is."

"You make it sound so simple."  

"That's because it is."  Kubota reached over and took Matsumoto's can.  Shaking it, he heard a swish of liquid still inside.  He threw back his head and finished it.  

For once, Matsumoto didn't say anything.  He only took the can back and started to tap absently at the sides.  "… Won't you be…I mean, on your own?"

"What about it?"  Kubota began fishing through his pockets until he pulled out some coins.

"You'll be all alone.   Just you.  That's it."

Kubota waved over to the old man and then dropped the coins into his extended hand.  He nodded towards Matsumoto.  "His tea too."  The man just smiled and nodded, taking the money.  He looked over as he stepped off the stool.  "Like I said, what about it?  Aren't we all alone anyway?  Now it's just alone in a different space.  Doesn't sound like a big deal to me."  

Matsumoto shook his head. "That's such a you-thing to say…"

"Well, I'd hate to disappoint you."  They began to stroll down the street, away from the school.

They walked quietly for a block.  Kubota started to head towards the station, and Matsumoto followed suit.  They both took the train everyday.  Kubota's legs were longer than the other boy's, but their pace matched.  Maybe he slowed down without thinking, or Matsumoto sped up his steps.  If he did so, he didn't make a show of it.    

The early fall air was cool on Kubota's skin, and had a smoky scent of it's own that mixed in with his cigarette's.  He kind of liked the smell of all of it.  It gave him a picture of autumn standing around somewhere, smoking along with him.  He smiled at the image.  

Matsumoto coughed and then spoke up.  "Thanks…for today, Makoto."

Kubota looked over at him.  "Thanks for what?"  He turned his head to look back towards the ramen stand.  "For the tea?  I drank half of it."

Matsumoto shook his head, but didn't say anything at first.  "…That fight today.  You helped me out."

"Ah."  Kubota chewed on his cigarette while they walked.  He was talking about the pile-up in the cafeteria.  Technically they had not been on duty then.  Normally he was never in the lunchroom at all since he had started in the beginning of the semester to go sit out on the roof during that period.  It was raining that afternoon though so when Matsumoto had asked him about lunch, he just shrugged and followed the other boy to the cafeteria.  

They were both in line when an argument over the last curry bread went awry, and punches started being thrown.  Suddenly the entire line fell into it.  Trays of soup and rice went flying through the air.  Kubota felt something wet slide down his back, but he was too busy peeling a sophomore off his leg to care.  He turned to see that Matsumoto, who had been right next to him a moment earlier, was gone.  He scanned what was once the line but now had become a tangle of kicking legs and waving arms.  A cafeteria worker was trying to break in between the two boys who were tearing apart the curry bread.  The plastic wrapping ripped in their hands and the bread went into the air.  The kicking legs and waving arms stopped for a moment and all eyes went up and followed the bread as it sailed across the line.  

Watching the bread's descent, Kubota then spotted Matsumoto, who was standing near the end of the line, and looked like he was trying to stop anyone else from entering into the fray.  The bread hit him squarely on the chest and his hands went up to catch it from falling to the floor.  He looked up to see all eyes on him then.  Matsumoto took a step back, still holding the bread, and the broken line suddenly surged forward after him.  A second later, and he was lost in a pile of falling bodies and grabbing hands.  

Kubota walked over and started to pick through the pile, pulling and tossing students out as he moved through it.  Finally he plunged his arm in, and felt around.  He grimaced as his hand raked across bodies.  He was glad he couldn't see who or what he was touching at that moment.  He just kept reaching further down until his hand fell upon a buttoned shirt.  It was wet and warm beneath his fingers.  "I hope that's just curry," he muttered to himself, and grabbing the shirt, pulled his arm out of the pile.  A moment later, Matsumoto's head popped out, gasping for air.   

"If you wanted bread that badly, we could have stopped at the store."  Kubota smiled down at him.

"Shut up and keep pulling." Matsumoto hissed.  "Some jerk's hand is still on my ass."

"Hai hai."  

With a final tug, Matsumoto tumbled out from the pile and onto the floor.  He stood up shakily and looked down at his clothes.  A large stain was left from where the curry bread had been smashed to his chest.  "Damn it."

Kubota flicked a bit of ground beef that was stuck to the other's boy front.  "Well, I guess for lunch you can just lick your shirt."

"Ha.  Very funny."  Matsumoto stormed away.  Kubota looked around.  The "bread riot" was already running out of steam, and both teachers and students were now starting to pick through the mess.  He shrugged and ambled after the other boy.  Matsumoto had headed for the gym and to his locker.  He wore his P.E. shirt for the rest of the day.

Kubota chuckled, thinking back to their afternoon.  That was definitely one of the most interesting lunches they've had.  If that would happen more often, maybe he'd have to start spending his time there than on the roof.  Kubota turned to see Matsumoto scowling at him.  He shrugged in response.  "What?  It was funny, you have to admit.  All that for bread?"

"It was not at all funny, Makoto."  Matsumoto glared back at him.  "And honestly, I'm getting sick of all of it."

"What, bread?  In general or just the curry kind?"  Kubota turned back to the street in front of them.  They were about a block from the station. "I'm rather fond of the melon variety myself."

Matsumoto rolled his eyes.  "Talking to you is like a lesson in patience that never ends.  Can you not be serious for five seconds?"

"I'm completely serious."

"Then tell me this."  Matsumoto stopped, and Kubota turned to look back at him.  "You're not sick of it all?"

"Have you not had melon bread?  What's to get sick of?  It's so good and fluffy in the center."

His partner just hit his head with his hand and then walked past him.  "Why do I even bother?"

"Because you can't help yourself."  Kubota caught up with him in a few steps.  Matsumoto didn't turn to look at him.  

"I'm sick of it."  The other boy started again.  "All the crap that we go through.  It's not worth it.  Every day is the same thing.  Some jerk starts it, and we finish it.  Then another jerk starts it, and we finish it.  But there's never a final finish.  It's the same jerks every day, and no end to it."

"There wouldn't be an EC if the jerks stopped starting things.  Where would we all be then?" Kubota asked.  He knew where Matsumoto was going with this.  The other boy had been starting and restarting this conversation for months now, once they had entered the high school, once his goal was in sight.  

"I know where I want to be."  Matsumoto said quietly.

"Then why are you still here then?"  Kubota asked.  "What's stopping you, hm?"  He lightly hit Matsumoto's backside with his foot.  The other boy turned to glare at him and he only smiled back.  This was their usual game, but it didn't seem that both parties wanted to play that night.  Matsumoto turned and continued to walk.

"Why are you still here, Makoto?" he asked.  

Kubota thought over the question for a moment.  "I guess because I want to be.  That's it."

"There's nothing else you want?  You want to always be doing the work as opposed to being at the head of it all?"

"What and take your spot, future council member?  

"There's more than one there."  Matsumoto looked at him, but Kubota's expression didn't change.

"Not for me."  He said simply.  They had reached the station and began to walk down the stairs.  After going through the ticket carousal, Kubota lifted a hand to wave Matsumoto off since their train rides home were on different platforms, but then he felt a tug on his arm.  He turned and looked down to see Matsumoto's hand gripping his sleeve.  Kubota gave him a questioning look.

Matsumoto closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.  After a beat he opened them and looked up.  "Do want to stay over tonight?"

"Hm?"  Kubota's eyebrows rose up..

"I mean…"  Matsumoto licked his lips, thinking. "We have that social studies project due on Friday, right?.  We might as well start it now."

"I thought we decided to just split it up?"

His partner looked away for a moment.  "Maybe it'll be easier if we just did it together.  That way it'll look like one smooth piece instead of two separate papers that we just stuck together."

Kubota didn't respond at first.  "…Your family doesn't even like me.  I don't think they'll appreciate you bringing me home."

"That doesn't matter."  Matsumoto shook his head.  "They won't say no.  Besides, it's for school, right?"

"Hm."  Kubota nodded, thinking.

"And besides…"  Matsumoto looked up at him, his hand still on Kubota's arm.  "This way we don't have to do it alone…right?"

"Ah…"  Kubota gazed down at him.  "That would be true, wouldn't it?"  He then looked up at the ceiling of the station and moved his cigarette from side to side with his tongue.  "…but, I don't think it'll work, sorry."  He gently took Matsumoto's hand off his arm.

"…why not?" the other boy's eyes searched his face.

"Because it's like I said earlier.  We're all on our own anyways.  It's the way it is."  He started to turn.

Matsumoto snorted.  "Always cool Kubota.  Nothing ever gets to you, right?  But do you know what?" he called out after him.  "That's just something you keep telling yourself.  But you're wrong, Makoto.  It doesn't have to be that way."

Kubota looked back at him without saying anything.  Matsumoto continued.  "You can move out, get your own place, live with no one, be with no one, but you should face the truth and stop telling yourself that it has to be that way.  It doesn't.  You're doing it to yourself.  Everything you do, you do to yourself."        

Kubota reached out then without saying anything and touched Matsumoto's face.  

Always cool Kubota....

His finger went slowly down from the boy's temple to his jaw.

"You know I'm right." Matsumoto said looking back at him, his eyes defiant.

Nothing ever gets to him…

"And that's why you hate me so much." Kubota answered back, and smiling, gave Matsumoto's cheek a light pat.  "I'll see you tomorrow."  He turned and with a backward wave, started towards his platform.

Walking away, he heard the all-too-familiar hiss of "asshole" from behind him.  He smiled bitterly as he tossed the last of his cigarette into the ash can.  "Give my regards to your family," he called back.  If Matsumoto responded, he didn't hear, nor did he turn his back as he walked down the stairs.   

Always cool Kubota, no one ever gets to him.

That had always been Matsumoto's joke, but after that night, he never could hide the bitterness in his voice when he said it.  To Kubota, it just felt like another part of the game they played together, but even he recognized that the "comfortableness" they had achieved between them was slowly ebbing away.  He also recognized that there was something he could do about it, but watching Matsumoto stare out at the council seats, he saw little point.  

Weren't they all on their own anyways?  Isn't that what he always said?  

But for some reason now, his own past statements seemed hard to swallow even for him.      

And now he recognized again that there was something he could do about it.  

"You were always right about one thing, Matsumoto," Kubota finally lifted his head from the bathroom door.  "Everything I do, I do to myself."  He pushed the door open and stepped inside.  

It was empty, or seemed so.  Outside of that one dripping faucet, the bathroom was quiet.  He paused for a few seconds and just stood there listening.  Looking at the row of urinals against one wall and then the stalls across from them, another memory hit him, although this one from earlier that day.  It had been back up on the roof.  The other boy had been speaking with a mouthful of rice…

_"'Cause at my old school the only place where it was quiet was either the roof or the old bathroom in the basement…"  _

All of a sudden, Kubota heard a tell-tale sign of his sempai's presence, the sound of a page turning.  Kubota smiled and started to walk across the room until he came to the last stall.  He knocked lightly.

He heard a suck in of breath.  "Hey, this one's occupied!"  The voice coming from the stall was strained and very familiar.  

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that only losers hang out in bathrooms?"  He said back to the door.  

"Hey!  What the- who is that?"

"Suzuki."  He knocked again.  "It's me.  Kubota."

"Kubota?"  He heard a rustling of noises from the other side of the door.  "Damn?   What the hell?"

"Sorry.  Normally I wouldn't want to intrude on your "private time", but I need you for something right now."

"Can't it wait?"  Suzuki's voice cracked a little.

Kubota's hand ran through his hair.  "No, it really can't.  It took long enough to find you.  Now, c'mon out."

There was a moment of quiet from the other side.  Finally Suzuki spoke up.  "Sorry, Kubota.  You're gonna have to wait.  It's the way it is."

"Is that so?"  Kubota tapped lightly on the door.

"Yep.  Sorry.  Can't help you.  Come back in five minutes."

"Sorry, huh?"  Kubota shook his head.  "Do you know what's really sorry, Sempai?"

Suzuki waited a beat.  "…what?" 

"That you never remember that the lock on this stall doesn't work."  With that said, Kubota's hand went to the top of the door and gave a tug.  It flew open.  Suzuki stared back at him wide-eyed while sitting on the toilet.  The figure model book was plastered to his lap.  

"K-K-Kubota!" he yelped out.  

Kubota just leaned on the now open door.  "Now I can wait that five minutes, if you want."  He looked at his watch.  "Well, four minutes and…35 seconds."

Suzuki was noticeably distressed.  "What the fuck are you-"

"25 24 23…"  Kubota tapped on the door.  "C'mon, c'mon finish up, or do you need a bigger audience.  I think I hear someone outside.  Do you want me to call them in?"  He cupped his hand to his mouth and turned towards the door to the hall.  "Come one, come all!  Visiting Araiso with his special one-man show, it's the magically amazing masturbator!  Bring the family for a jerking good time-" Kubota ducked a roll of toilet paper that came rocketing out of the stall towards him.  

"Shut up!"  Suzuki stood up from the toilet and still holding the book across his lap, grabbed the door and slammed it shut.  "I get you!  I get you!" He yelled.  "Just, damn, Kubota.  What's going on?"

"I need you to come to the main office with me."

"What the hell for?"

"It's the new kid.  He got taken down there because of the fight outside."

"Yeah.  So?"

"So."  Kubota opened the door again.  "We need to go down there."

"For the love of- shut the damn door!"  Suzuki yelled.  "And why do **_I_ need to go down there?"  
"Because you're the head of the EC, and strangely enough, that gives you some semblance of authority."  He stood and shook his head at Suzuki on the toilet.  "I can't believe you're still keeping it up while I'm right here.  I had no idea you found me so exciting?"**

Suzuki drew his arms over the book and his lap.  "No, you scare the shit out of me."

"Oh, c'mon, Sempai," Kubota smirked.  "Both me and the rest of your class know that's not why you're here."

Suzuki turned a shade of red that matched well with his colored hair. "You-" he pointed at Kubota.  "Leave, right now.  Close that door and leave.  I will be down there with you in FIVE minutes."

"Three."  Kubota countered.  

"Four and a fucking half!"  Suzuki's face was one of desperation.  "Just- argh, I'm dying here.  You gotta let me finish!"

"Alrighty," Kubota smiled and shut the stall.  He started to walk towards the door to the hall.  "I'll see you down there."

"Hey, Kubota!"  Suzuki yelled out just as Kubota's hand was on the door.  "Why are we doing this?"

Kubota stopped and just stood there quiet for a moment.  

"…Kubota?"

"…Just meet me down there," he answered.  

As he pushed the door open he turned his head to call back. "And after this is all done, you better wash that book off."  

He turned and started to walk down the hall towards the stairs.  "Why are we doing this…why am I doing this?"  He murmured to himself, scratching his head.

"Because you think he's got a cute as-," the pick chipping at his brain started again.  Kubota's hand hit his forehead, trying to silence it. "You can shut up." He answered aloud.  

"Oh, for the love of-" he couldn't help but repeat Suzuki's words.  This was getting out of hand.  He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.  The hallway became a fuzz of grey tiles and walls as he walked.  

Always cool Kubota- who talks to himself…

_Why now?  _

Always cool Kubota- who just saw way more of his sempai than he EVER wants to see again. 

Why was he doing this?

_Because it's there.__  Isn't that enough?  _

That had been back in the health clinic, but that's what the other boy had said…  

For reasons he couldn't explain, the past kept coming back at him as if it was arguing with him, trying to show him something he couldn't see himself.  Kubota put his glasses back on and the hall became suddenly clear, but his mind was still a fuzz of the past- of both of that afternoon and of an afternoon months earlier, back in December.  

Something was definitely funny about today…

_"So why are you here?"_

Kubota turned from the cigarette machine.  The venders weren't allowed to put it on the high school grounds, so instead they set it up as close to the gate as possible.  School was out for the day, and most of the students were rushing home or somewhere else warm.  It was a week before the first day of winter, but the air already stung their cheeks.  He smiled down at Matsumoto who had come up from behind him.  "Why would I be here?"  He motioned to the machine. 

"No, why are you still here?"  Matsumoto hugged his chest.  "It's freezing, and you've been standing here forever.  Just buy them already.  Or are you finally switching brands?"

"Oh, I'm Seven Stars for life."  Kubota turned back to the machine and stared down at his hand.  "I thought I had the change for this though, but it looks like I'm ten yen short.  Think it'll give it to me if I ask nicely?"  He tapped the side of the machine.  "Hey, gimme some cigs…I'll pay you back, promise."  He cupped his ear as if waiting for a response and then sighed.  "I guess it doesn't like me."  He turned to go, but Matsumoto held up his hand.  In his fingers he had a ten yen coin.

"Oh, but I still owe you for the last time this happened," Kubota joked, accepting the money.

"What?  That was like…two years ago, Makoto." Matsumoto rolled his eyes.  "But if you're keeping a record, then add it to your tab."

Kubota started to drop the handful of change into the coin slot.  "I'm forever in your debt."  

Matsumoto snorted.  "Yeah, right."

After pushing the button for Seven Stars, a pack dropped down.  Kubota bent over and retrieved it from the slot at the bottom of the machine.  He turned, and they both started to walk away from the school.  

"Hey, can I pay you off in trade?"  Kubota waved the pack at him.  

Matsumoto just grimaced and shook his head.  "You know I hate that stuff.  I can barely stand to be around you."  

"I'm touched that you make the effort."  Kubota stopped for a moment to light a cigarette.  

Matsumoto kept walking, but not as fast as usual.  "Like you would notice anyway."

"Ouch."  Kubota slipped the lighter back into his pocket.  "Why so bitter, Council Treasurer?  I would think nothing could get you down right now?"

Matsumoto didn't say anything.  He only continued to walk.

Kubota looked over at him.  "What are you doing out so early anyway?  Don't you have to do some kind of super-love-orientation or something?  Play kiss the council member?  Oh, but wait, that's how you got the position, wasn't it?"

"Shut up.  You know that's not true."  The other boy shot him a glare that almost looked hurt.  

"I know, I know.  That was the former treasurer.  Poor boy.  They do say mono is just sweeping the school.  You think people would be more careful by now.  But it's good for you though.  It's what you wanted, right?  To get out of the EC and get in there?"

Matsumoto stopped then.  "What do you know about what I want?"

Kubota looked back at him.  "I know you didn't want to be with us anymore.  You said so yourself."

"That's not what I said!" the other boy blurted out.  Matsumoto covered his mouth then and looked away.  His cheeks, already red from the cold, deepened another shade.  Kubota watched as Matsumoto breathed into his fingers, trying to cover up his surprise.    

Kubota raised his eyebrows and walked a few paces back to him.  Matsumoto wasn't the one for outbursts.  He saw them as unbecoming.  

The other boy finally looked back at him, still breathing into his fingers.  "You always do this.  You always change what I'm saying.  What I said was…"  His voice was muffled behind his hand.  "…I saw a chance and I took it, and they took me."

Kubota reached out and pulled the boy's hand slowly away from his face.  He could still feel the warmth from his mouth in his fingers.  "Is that really it, Matsumoto?"

Matsumoto didn't look at him then, but nor did he pull his hand away.  They stood there on the sidewalk quietly, their fingers laced together.  Daylight was already fading on that late autumn afternoon.  Kubota just stood there waiting for his answer.  Like Matsumoto's earlier rants against the EC, this talk wasn't really unexpected either.  His now former partner had been starting and restarting this conversation for months, but never finishing it though, never getting to the part where he would say-

"Makoto…" Matsumoto spoke softly.  Kubota had to lower his head to hear him.  "Why don't you join with me?"

"What, the council?  And do what?  Spit-shine Ikeda's shoes?  There's no position there for me."

"We could set one up."  Matsumoto looked up at him.  "Some kind of executive officer.  That's not unheard of.  You've been in the EC for years.  They'll take you."

"Why?  Because they want me to?  Or just you?"

"…does it matter?"  The other boy asked.  Kubota felt the grip on his hand tighten a little.  

"No, it doesn't," he replied.  "Because I'd tell both the same thing.  That I don't care anything about the council."

"…Why don't you say what you really think, Makoto?" Matsumoto voice cracked a little.  It was something that always happened when he got agitated.  "That truthfully, you don't really care about ANYTHING.  I don't even think you care about the EC, or anyone in it."

"That's funny coming from you."  Kubota felt a smile creep up on his face.  "Aren't you the one leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm the one leaving," the other boy breathed out, "But you're the one who was never really here in the first place.  You always say that it's me, that I think I'm above it all, but you're wrong.  It's you.  It's always been you."

Kubota didn't say anything.  Matsumoto's grip on his hand was tightening even more.  His fingers started to hurt, but he didn't pull away.  The other boy continued, not waiting for him to speak out in defense.  Maybe because he knew Kubota didn't have any.  Maybe because he knew that-

"It's true.  You know I'm right."  Matsumoto looked at him hard.  "You've never been really a part of the EC, or a part of anything.  You stand up on the roof and just look down at everybody else, and don't give a damn about anything.  So don't start with that "You left" bullshit.  There was nothing to leave."  With that said, Matsumoto finally pulled his hand out from Kubota's and started to walk away.  

Kubota just stood there on the sidewalk.  He didn't bother putting his hand into his pocket.  The cold was already numbing the pain that the other boy's hand had left.        

Matsumoto had gotten ten paces away before turning around.  "And one more thing," he yelled back.  Kubota looked up.

"Someday, Makoto," Matsumoto spoke slowly.  "Someday there's going to be something that stops you.  It's going to hit you and there's going to be nothing that you can do, but care about it.  And then you'll be down here with the rest of us, feeling how shitty it is to care about something.  And when that day comes, I'm just going sit there and laugh."

"Well, I'd hate to disappoint you." Kubota replied softly.

"Too late."  With that said, Matsumoto turned on his heel and walked off.  Kubota only watched his back as it moved further and further away.  The fading light gave everything a bluish tint, including his breath that seemed to leave him in one long strand.  

In his mind, he had said goodbye to other boy's retreating figure, but all that came out of his mouth was smoke.

Kubota finally reached the main office on the first floor.  Once again he found his head leaning against the door.

Always cool Kubota- nothing ever gets to him.

Why was he doing this?

He remembered then what he had asked Tokitoh earlier.

_"Does it make you feel good?  Is it the danger-quotient?  Or do you just like to hit people?""_

Why was he here?

And then another voice entered his mind, one that was a little defiant, a little angry, and a little…

_"I just do it because I do it.  I don't think about it.  I don't give a shit about what people think about me..."_

…a little scared?

_"…I do it because…"  _

Always cool Kubota- no one ever gets to him.  

He remembered that back in the infirmary the other boy's nose then was still stained with blood.

"…because I just can't not do it." Kubota murmured to himself.  He raised his head up from the door.        

Always cool Kubota- who breaks fingers, and lives alone, and doesn't care about anything.

Always cool Kubota- who leaves class through the window, and pours water on people, and opens bathrooms stalls without warning.

He shook his head.  There was definitely something funny about today…

But through the fuzz of memories that had clouded his mind, there was one thing now that he could see clearly. 

That for him at that moment, there was no other way than what he was about to do.  

He started to slide the door open into the office.  Stepping inside, he couldn't help but smile when another question struck him.  

"Are you laughing now…Matsumoto?"

----- 

^^ tbc-

* * *

[ttg1]


	6. Across Platform C part 6

Quick note: To answer a question asked, some of the stuff of this story is borrowed from WA itself (Kubota having lived with his uncle, Kasai, for a short time), or EC (the fact that he and Matsumoto had been in the EC together in junior high) and then there's a lot made up specifically for here because Minekura hadn't divulged that much back-story in EC herself since for the most part, it was a light, episodic school comedy.  

So that's why you might see some familiar elements and some new ones.  I hope it works out.  Thanks always if you're still reading up to this point, (my apologies for taking so long to get this part out. ^^;;)  Comments and criticisms are *always* appreciated and welcomed.  ^_^  

Warnings: Language still.  Also, I'm sorry for anyone who is bothered by the –kun endings.  It just feels right to leave those in while switching –san to Mr. or Mrs.  It feels too weird for a teacher to say "Mr. Kubota" in a normal conversation.  Although it would be fun in a Bond parody…  (Who's game for that?)

Disclaimer:  Minekura Kazuya owns all that is EC/WA.  Huzzah.

Stay Here With

Across Platform C – Chapter 6

The walk to the office was like a dream.  Every step he made echoed in his mind.  He felt separate from himself, like he was watching from somewhere else his body walk behind the principal, one step after another.  Their footfalls resounded through the empty halls, and to him, there seemed to be no other sounds but those steps.

He'd had this dream before.  The hallways blurred together in his mind.  Narita's public junior high had blue walls.  Akasaka's had a light grey.  That school in Shinjuku…he had only been there for what?  Three days?  He smiled bitterly.  Man, today…today must be a record.             

One step after another.  As they passed the classrooms, he would turn and glance through the small windows in the doors.  Heads bent down over desks, the teacher at the board.  Just another day at another school.

His eyes looked back to the hall and then rested upon the bald spot on the top of the Principal's head.  The hair seemed to grow from the edges of the spot down to the back of his neck.  It had this strange circle pattern.  He wondered if it was combed that way.  Or did it just grow like that?

Passed the gym, passed the water fountain, passed the cafeteria doors where he had been to get his lunch earlier.  He closed his eyes and listened to their steps.  

Today…today must be a record.

A part of him was surprised that he had lasted this long.  Sitting in the office at the train station, he'd thought it was all over then.  He hadn't even gotten to school, and it was already over.  But then that Kubota kid came in, and then he was here.

He shook his head.  That Kubota probably shouldn't have bothered at all.  It ended anyway, didn't it?  Just took longer, that's all.  Just a few hours, and now it's over.

Another part of him felt relieved a little.  He'd have to go to a new school, start all over again.  But he was used to that.  That's how it always was.  That's how it always had been ever since…

He opened his eyes and looked down at his feet.  One step after another.

What's the point in staying here?

He bit his lip.  He wanted, more than anything, to just leave right then and there, but he felt his feet were locked in some path already made for them, and he couldn't get out of it.  Like some never-ending dream, he just had to keep walking in that path, one step after another.

What's the point in staying someplace that doesn't want you, not even for a day?

The principal suddenly stopped, and Tokitoh looked up from his feet, surprised.  He turned to see that they were at the main office.  Takahata opened the door and motioned for Tokitoh to go inside.  He took a step forward, but turned his head to look behind him.  Out of everything he had noticed while walking there, he had forgotten one thing.

"Missing something?" Takahata asked.

"Nah…just checking." Tokitoh turned back, and stepped into the office.

As he heard Takahata close the door behind them, one new thought rested on the top of this dream he had repeated so many times.

The halls of Araiso, where he had been for one day, which broke his record of three days, were painted white.    

----- 

"Do you know why you are here, young man?"

Tokitoh looked back at him from where he was sitting.  Takahata was behind his desk, eyeing his expectantly.  Funny.  This seemed familiar to him somehow.  Tokitoh opened his mouth but Takahata raised his hand to stop him.

"No, no.  I want you think about it before answering."

Think about what?  What was he supposed to say?  Tokitoh looked down at his hands.  He couldn't figure this guy out at all.  He knew why he was here.  He got into a fight and into trouble.  Wasn't that it?  What else was there?  He looked back up at the Principal only to see Takahata now staring off to something behind him.  Tokitoh turned his head towards the door.

"No-no-no, don't look."  Takahata hissed.  Tokitoh slowly moved his head back.  He knew there was no way he could hide the confusion on his face.

Takahata's eyes fell back onto him for a moment.  "Do you hear anything?"

Tokitoh waited for a second.  The office seemed completely quiet.  The only sounds came from the leather seat squeaking beneath him, his own breathing, and that thumping sound that was most likely his heart.  He slowly shook his head.  "…No."

"Exactly."  Takahata's voice was low.  He stood up and walked around his desk to the door.  He waited another beat before pulling it open suddenly.  A yelp was heard, and turning his head back, Tokitoh saw that the secretary, the one that Kubota had called "Miffy", had jumped back a few feet from the door.

"Pardon me, Ms. Ichinose."  Tokitoh could only see the back of Takahata's head from where he was sitting, but he caught the whole surprised, scrunched-face package that was now Ms. Ichinose.  

"Principal-S-S-Sir, I was just- just…" She was flapping her arms around, as if trying to catch the words to say from somewhere in the air.

"Could you," Takahata let out a slow breath.  "Get me something, Ms. Ichinose?"

"What?"  That brought the arms down, quickly followed by a, "Yes, of course.  Anything!"

"Could you…"  The Principal tapped his fingers on the doorway for a moment before speaking.  "Could you go get me a Mosburger?  I missed lunch and am quite hungry.  I can barely think."

The secretary hesitated.  "But that's five blocks away."

Takahata only bobbed his head.  "It's very important."

Ms. Ichinose nodded slowly, her face scrunching further into a look of determination.  "Yes, sir!"  Takahata bowed in response and closed the door.  He waited for a moment and then opened it again.  Tokitoh saw that the secretary's hand was only inches away from knocking.

"Yes, I want fries with it and no, I don't need a drink," was all he said before closing it again.  He remained by the door for another minute.  They both could hear the secretary's feet moving about the office until finally they heard the outside door open and close.  Silence fell upon them and Takahata, with a look of satisfaction, turned back and sat down.

Tokitoh let out the breath he had suddenly realized he was holding.  He shook his head.  Out of all the schools he had been to, this by far, took the cake as the strangest.  

Leaning back in his chair, Takahata's expectant gaze returned to him.  "So, Tokitoh-kun?  Have you figured it out yet why you are here?

Tokitoh just looked back at him with his mouth open.  "…Because…I got into a fight?"

Takahata didn't say anything.  The expectant look didn't change.

Tokitoh's eyes searched the office, Takahata's desk, his own hands.  The sudden quiet of the room, and the Principal's eyes on him seemed louder than the train from that morning.  He couldn't think.  He just wanted to jump away, to jump back, to get away from the noise, but he couldn't.  He just sat there, looking back, with his mouth open.  "…I don't know what you want me to say," was what fell out of it.  

Takahata closed his eyes, waited a moment, and opened them again.  "Why are you here, Tokitoh-kun?"  

"…because I'm in trouble?"

"No, before that."

"Because you called me down here?"

"No, before that."

"…I don't know then."  Tokitoh shook his head.

"Exactly."  Takahata nodded.  "That's one of the problems here."  He opened his arms wide and waved to the room.  "Where are we right now?"

"Your office."

"Big picture, Tokitoh-kun.  Where are we?"

"…Japan?"

Takahata waited another moment before putting his arms down.  "We're in a SCHOOL.  Araiso specifically.  Here, students come to do?"  He pointed to Tokitoh.

"…To learn?"

"Don't make it a question unless you are really not sure what students do here."

"To learn…sir." 

"Yes, and what is it that I expect you, young student, to do here, at Araiso Private High School?"  He slapped the desk with his palm on the word "school".  Tokitoh jumped back a little at the sound.

"To learn, sir."

"And what do students not do here?"

Tokitoh didn't say anything.  He just shook his head in response.  

"They don't FIGHT here."  Takahata stressed the word "fight", his teeth flashing for moment.  "So, what do I expect you, Tokitoh-kun, not to do here?"

"…But they do," he answered. 

"Yes, exactly," Takahata nodded, but then stopped and turned.  "Wait, what did you just say?"

"They do fight…sir."

"What?"  The Principal looked back at him like he had crabs crawling out of his ears.  

"I said…"  Tokitoh bit his lip for a second and shifted in his seat.  A voice in the back of his mind was saying something like, "Shut up, dumbass and maybe you'll get away with this."  But another voice, a familiar one that was unsurprisingly his own, spoke out louder.  It always did.  "I said they do fight."

"Who?"  Takahata's eyes were intent on his own.  

"The students here.  They do fight.  That's what happened today.  Some kids were fighting."  Once started, Tokitoh found the words slipping out of him without him even thinking.  "I know leaving class is wrong and all, but, I just can't not do it, you know?  I just can't watch kids beat up kids.  And that's what they were doing.  Kids do that here too.  Yeah, maybe they learn, but that's not all.  If you think that's it, then you don't know kids at all.  You don't know anything."  The small voice in the back of his head said "Shit!  You're dead!" but he ignored it.  "And those other kids, those kids who are in that club, that executive whatever.  Don't they stop fights?  Isn't that their job?  If kids aren't having fights, then why is their club here?"

"The Executive Committee, I will have you know, is here to preserve the rules of Araiso," Takahata started.

"But that's just it," Tokitoh spoke back.  "You wouldn't need some club to keep some rules if you didn't have kids going around breaking them."

"So what are you saying, young man?  That we need those who break the rules?" Takahata asked.  His eyebrows had reached a new high on his forehead.

"Yeah, I mean, no."  Tokitoh stumbled for words.  He was never good at this explaining thing.  "I mean, you can't be all "Kids come here to learn" and not see that kids do other things.  Kids beat the shi- I mean, mess with other kids."  He felt his face get warm as he tried to pick his words a little more carefully.  "Some kids steal.  Some kids beat other kids on the way to class.  I mean, why is it bad to jump in and say, "Don't do that." Why is everyone always…" He trailed off, realizing slowly his speech was unwinding in a different direction.

"Everyone is always what?" Takahata asked.

"Why is everyone always on my case…" Tokitoh answered back softly.

Takahata sighed.  "Young man, you may be surprised by this, but I actually do know something about you "kids" as you say.  I know about the stealing and the fights and even the cheating.  It is not wrong to say, "Don't do that" to those students.  What is wrong is joining them.  By fighting with them, you," he pointed at Tokitoh, "Are one of them.  THAT is not why you are here at Araiso."

"I'm not one of them!" Tokitoh had moved up to the edge of his seat.  "I was just-"

Takahata held up his hand to stop him.  "Just nothing.  And I do not want to hear who started what.  Those other boys will get their own punishment.  But right now, I am addressing you and your problem of not listening, and frankly, not even trying to work with us here."

"What the-" Tokitoh held up his hands in exasperation. "I AM trying.  I've been trying all day."  

Takahata sighed again and pointed at him.  Tokitoh closed his mouth and looked around.  "…What?"

"Do you remember what I said to you this morning?  Do you remember what I asked you to do for this to work?"

Tokitoh looked back at him lost.  This morning…the office…  "You gave me my folder and told me to go class."

"Yes, but after that?"

Tokitoh shook his head.

Takahata's eyes didn't leave his.  "I told you good luck AND-" Without looking down, he pulled a drawer out from his desk and rummaged inside, finally pulling out a small disc.  He held it up to Tokitoh.  It was a mirror.  "I told you to keep your nose clean.  Now, young man, can you tell me if that's what you tried to do today?"

Tokitoh looked back at the mirror.  His face was even more a mess than he had thought.  The ice had brought the swelling down only a little.  His nose was puffy and bruised, and dried blood still streaked his upper lip.  He grimaced at his reflection.  The small voice in his head told him not to bother anymore, but he ignored it again.  "…I tried, but-" 

"I'm sorry, Tokitoh-kun."  Takahata shook his head, and his expression did appear to be regretful.  "I told your uncle that we would surely be the right institution for you.  But I'm afraid our methods will not meet your specific needs."  His hand moved towards the phone.  "I'm going to give your family a call today, and then you can go home.  Maybe then you can think about why you want to come to school."  His hand picked up the receiver.  "Now, your home phone number is?" 

Tokitoh didn't answer.  He was looking at his hands.  Takahata seemed to say something else, but it felt far away, further away than that small voice in the back of his mind that he always ended up ignoring.

No matter how many times he'd had this dream, he'd somehow forgotten how much he hated it.   His eyes burned a little.  He hoped staring down would make it stop.  He kept them wide open, and kept looking right down at his hands, but it just seemed to make things more blurry.  He finally closed them, but the edges still felt hot.  

"Young man, your home phone number?"  Takahata repeated louder, breaking into his thoughts.  Tokitoh sighed, and brought his hand up to his face.  Let's just get this over with.  He started to answer when suddenly he heard the door open up.  He didn't turn around though, not until a growingly familiar voice spoke up from behind him.

"I'm sorry.  Should I have knocked first?"

------  

From here, his dream started to get weirder, and began to move into a whole new direction.  Even the small voice was left speechless as he watched Kubota slide into the office like it was just any other classroom, and pulled up the other chair that was by the wall.  Sitting down, he placed both his hands on his knees and bent his head over in a slight bow to the Principal.  "I'm sorry I'm late.  I had to stop by the bathroom."  He gave Tokitoh a crooked smile.  "Hope you weren't waiting too long."     

Tokitoh just stared at him, wide-eyed.  Who did this guy think he was?  "What are you doing?" he started, but Takahata broke in.

"Kubota-kun," The Principal's head was cocked to the side, but his eyes were narrowed.  "As much as it is always a pleasure to have your company in my office, I don't recall making an appointment with you.  Can you explain?"

"But, sir, aren't I supposed to be here?" Kubota asked, looking surprised.  "I mean, you wanted to talk to Tokitoh here, right?"  With that, his hand fell on Tokitoh's shoulder and gave it a light squeeze.  "So, wouldn't you want me to be here too?"

"I am not following, Kubota-kun."  Takahata shook his head.

Neither am I, thought Tokitoh.  He was starting to think Kubota had completely lost it.  Maybe what that doctor had was catching?  

"I mean, about the initiation.  Isn't that why you asked him down here?"

"What initiation?"  Takahata asked.  One eyebrow was up.

"Yeah, what-" Tokitoh started to ask, but Kubota's hand, which was still on his shoulder, squeezed again, this time a little more firmly.  He closed his mouth and looked up at the other boy, but Kubota's gaze still remained on the Principal's.   

"You know, the new initiation process for the Executive Committee.  To test new recruits."

Takahata shook his head.  "I have never heard of this before, Kubota-kun.  Explain."

Kubota's face fell.  "You mean to say…oooohhhh."  His hand went to his forehead.  "I can't believe it.  You mean, you don't know?  I thought the addendum to the constitution was dropped off this morning.  It must still be in the office."  He ran his hand through his hair and let out a loud sigh.  "So that means you thought Tokitoh here just went and did-" He shook his head.  "Oh, this is terrible.  What a misunderstanding.  And to think it could have been averted by just timely paperwork.  This deserves another meeting, I'll tell you that for sure.  We can't have-"

"Kubota-kun!" Takahata voice broke into the other's boy continuing stream of words.  

Kubota gave him a questioning look.  "Sir?"

The Principal took a breath and let it out slowly.  "Can you explain in less than a minute what you are talking about?"

"Yes, sir."  Kubota checked his watch.  "We, the Executive Committee, had voted earlier on a new process of recruitment.  What with this surprising surge of mono just taking down our numbers so rapidly we really needed to expand more.  We were hoping that maybe a new way of testing possible candidates, since you know how respectable we want to remain, what with upholding the rules, the very foundation that Araiso is built on-"

"Thirty seconds, young man."  Takahata tapped his own watch.

"So," Kubota's tone remained easy.  "We voted on a new process to find a student that would really merit admittance.  And so we staged a mock conflict, as you might say."

"A mock…conflict?"  By his expression, Takahata didn't appear to believe him. 

"Well, as we all know, the Executive Committee is not the easiest of clubs to participate in.  We thought if someone could pass a good test of what we meet every day, than that would really tell us if the candidate would work.  That's what happened today.  We had our test, and our candidate."  He patted Tokitoh's back.  "And that's it.  We're very regretful for any misunderstanding.  I thought for sure we had your approval already."

"Well, you did not."  Takahata puffed out his cheeks and leaned back in his chair.  "And frankly, young man, I can't say that this is the easiest explanation to swallow.  Late paperwork or not."  

"But it's the truth, sir."  Kubota's face was a mask of total innocence.  

"If so, then why didn't he mention this before you came in here?"  Takahata waved his hand towards Tokitoh.  

"Ah," Kubota nodded.  "That can be explained.  You see, he didn't know he was being tested."

"What would be the point of not telling him?  How do you know that they even wish to apply for the Executive Committee?"

"Well, that's the beauty of it."  Kubota leaned forward, and spread his hands out in front of him.  "You see?  If they don't know about it, and pass, then that says real EC-material to us."

Takahata still looked confused.  "But what if they refuse after you tell them that they had passed."

"Then we would be disappointed, obviously, but what can you do?"  Kubota shrugged.

"That sounds like a very inefficient testing method."

Kubota smiled and shrugged again.  "We're still working on it."

Tokitoh just looked back and forth during the exchange.  He was barely following.  Test?  Initiation?  Was that outside a test?  What the hell was going on?  

Takahata tapped his fingers on his desk, thinking.  He turned and looked back at Kubota.  "Can you have anyone corroborate with this right now?"

Kubota nodded, and still smiling, got up from his chair.  "Of course, sir."

"Of course."  Takahata rolled his eyes and muttered. "Why do I even ask with you?"

Kubota went to the door, and taking the knob, opened it.  "I have someone right here who can confirm everything I told you."  He waved his hand towards the outside office.  "Right, Suzuki?"

There was no response from the other side.  Kubota's hand remained still in the air.  Takahata leaned over and peered through the door.  "…There's no one there."

Kubota stuck his head out in the office and looked around.  Tokitoh thought he heard a curse slip out from the other boy.  Kubota then turned back to them.  "It should be any moment now, sir."

Takahata sighed.  "As much as I have enjoyed your little farce, I don't think I can wait any longer."  He walked around the desk.  Tokitoh then felt a hand fall on his shoulder and he looked up to see the Principal gazing down at him.  "I am sorry to say that, testing or no testing, I have already made my decision and it still stands.  I think it would be best, Kubota-kun, if you would return to class and-"

"Excuse me, sir," Kubota interjected.  "May I ask one more thing?"

Takahata looked back at him.  "All right.  You may ask one more thing"

"What would satisfy you?  I mean," Kubota looked around the office for a moment. "What would make you believe us?"

Us?  Tokitoh stared up at Kubota.  He couldn't figure this guy out.  Why was he trying so hard, and for him, some kid he doesn't even know?

Takahata looked from him to Kubota and then finally spoke.  "Well, you could come clean for one."  Kubota only gazed back at him silently.  Takahata sighed.  "Or, two, you could have the council confirm your story.  If they also verify your recruitment plan, then I will change my decision.  Which would you prefer?"

Kubota stood quietly by the door, and seemed lost in thought for moment.  Tokitoh looked from the Principal next to him to the other boy.  He found Kubota staring back at him, and their eyes locked for a few seconds.  Tokitoh swallowed.  He felt like he should say something now.  Just to get it over with.  There's no way they could dig out of this.  He wondered if his eyes said this at all, because Kubota just kept looking at them.  Finally he shook his head, and mouthed silently, "I'll be okay."  He didn't know if the other boy understood what he tried to say, but the next moment, Kubota spoke up.

"I'll take choice two."

Takahata nodded.  "Very well then. Tomorrow, early, we will have a meeting and discuss this and then-"  But Kubota had left the office before he could finish his statement.  Both Tokitoh and the Principal just stared at the space where he had stood.  Tokitoh got up from where he was sitting and went over to the door.  He saw Kubota by the secretary's desk, holding her phone.  The receiver was in one hand, and he was peering closely at the buttons.  

"What are you doing?" Tokitoh asked, walking over.  

Kubota just smiled back.  "Do you want the honors?"  He held the receiver out to him.

"Huh?"  Tokitoh took the phone and looked down at it questioning.  He brought it up his ear.  "…Hello?"  

"What on earth are you two doing?  Put that down." Takahata was standing in the doorway looking at them.

"Just a moment, sir."  Kubota turned back to the phone's touch pad on the desk.  "So, I guess the one named "intercom" would be for us, right?" He reached down and pressed the button. Looking over to Tokitoh, he asked.  "Do you remember what the B stands for in our class?"

"…Bananas."  Tokitoh jumped back when he heard his own voice booming over the loudspeakers that were set up in the corners of the room.  

Kubota flashed him another smile.  "That says sound check to me."  He took the phone from Tokitoh's hands and brought it up to his mouth.  He let out a slow breath and it echoed through the room.  

"Kubota-kun, put that down right now!" Takahata called out, but Kubota held out his hand and then started to speak.

"May I have your attention?  Would the primary members of the student council please come down to the main office immediately.  I repeat, would the primary members of the student council please come down to the main office."  He put the receiver to his chest and turned to Tokitoh.  "Is there anything else, you think?"  

Tokitoh shook his head.  "What the hell are you doing?" he hissed.  "Have you lost it completely?"  

"Not completely.  I still have my boyish good looks, don't I?" Kubota smoothed his hair back.  "Now there's something else, what was it…"

"Geez, why don't you ask everyone taking a piss right now to stop on by too?  We'll have a fucking party."  Tokitoh muttered, his head in his hands.  "We're so dead."  

"Oh, that's it.  Thank you."  Kubota patted his head and then brought the phone back up to his mouth.  "And would Suzuki Kenji please remember to wash off the art book after he is finished pleasuring himself in the third floor bathroom, last stall on the right. Thank you and have a nice day."  

He put the phone back on the holder and they all jumped a little as it made a loud THUNK over the speakers.  "Woopsie," Kubota scratched his head.  "Guess I should have pressed the button again before I put it down."  He turned back to see Tokitoh staring at him, eyes wide.

"What?  Too much?"

----- 

It was a tense five minutes between Kubota's announcement over the loudspeaker and when the two other students arrived.  Tokitoh had to keep pulling his fingers from his mouth.  He always bit his nails when he was uncomfortable.  And adding to everything else, Kubota kept kicking his chair for some reason.  Three minutes into the wait, he started to gnaw on the thin white line at the end of the nail of his index finger when he felt another jolt from the side.  

Takahata turned around from where he was standing by the window.  "What keeps making that noise?"

"Don't know, sir?"  Kubota shrugged.  "Dr. Matsuda said there were squirrels in the building.  Maybe there's one in the vents."

"Matsuda…"  Takahata grimaced and turned his back to them.      

"Cut it out already." Tokitoh whispered, shooting the other boy a glare, but Kubota only smiled back.    

"That's a bad habit," he said softly, pointing to one of Tokitoh's hands.  His nails were all chewed down so his fingertips poked out underneath of each.

"Like you should talk." Tokitoh hissed back.  "I can smell your cigarettes from here."

"Ah…" Kubota looked wistfully outside.  "…I could use a smoke right now."

Tokitoh only shook his head in disbelief.  Another endless minute passed.  The tip of his thumb was in his mouth when he felt another thump on the side of his chair.  Fuckin' A!  He turned in his seat towards Kubota, his hand in a fist, when there was a sudden knock on the door.

Kubota got up and patted Tokitoh's hand lightly.  "It's showtime," he murmured.  

Tokitoh looked up to find his once familiar dream suddenly become more crowded.  To make more room, they all stood by the wall near the door.  He glanced sideways at the two other boys who had come in.  One he had seen before, back in the infirmary, the boy who had been arguing with Kubota.  Matsu-something.  The other boy he didn't know, some skinny kid with glasses, tall, but not as tall as- Tokitoh peered up at Kubota who was standing next to him.  Kubota was probably one of the tallest kids that he'd met.  The other boy caught him looking at him and smiled.  "Something on my face?" he whispered.  

Tokitoh quickly turned away.  "…Idiot." 

Takahata was sitting back down at his desk, eyeing them all.  "May I ask why there is so few of you?  I thought there was at least four in the council itself."

"I'm sorry, sir," the boy who Tokitoh had seen earlier spoke up.  "Two of our officers are sick today.  There is only Tachibana here who is the new secretary and me for right now."

"I see."  Takahata breathed out slowly and turned to Kubota.  "Do you wish to explain or shall I?"

Kubota only smiled back.  "It would be my pleasure, sir."

The initiation story for the second time around still didn't make any sense to him, but Tokitoh was surprised how neither of the other boys' expressions changed while Kubota talked.  He couldn't help but think that maybe…maybe it was really true.  But why didn't Kubota tell him earlier?

When he was finished, Kubota turned back to the Principal.  "Anything else, sir?"

"No, you covered it as well as I thought you would, Kubota-kun."  Takahata looked at the other two boys.  "Matsumoto-kun, Tachibana-kun.  Can you confirm this with me?  Was this in fact something that the council had approved earlier and due to some," he waved his hand lightly in the air, "misplaced paperwork, never made it to my office?"

Neither boy spoke at first.  The taller boy, Tachibana, looked over to Matsumoto.  "May I?" he asked softly.  Matsumoto nodded and Tachibana began to speak.

"As you know, sir, I am new to the council," he said.  "So I am really in no position to say whether or not this was arranged earlier."

"So, you in fact cannot confirm.  Is that it?" Takahata asked.

"Yes."  Tachibana nodded slowly, and then paused a moment.  "…But I'm sure Matsumoto-kun here, who has been a part of the council for several months now will be able to."  He turned and smiled down at the other boy who just pursed his lips in response.

"Well, young man, as the Treasurer, can you in fact, confirm what Kubota-kun has said?"  Takahata gave the other boy the expectant look that Tokitoh was getting very used to.  "Was this all 'a test'?"

Matsumoto didn't respond.  He just looked back at Takahata and then glanced over first to Tokitoh and then to Kubota.  Kubota returned his gaze, and a few seconds passed where the two of them just stood there, staring at each other.  Tokitoh shivered for a second.  The room felt suddenly strange, like the air was weighted down somehow.  He shoved his hands in his pockets before they could make their way back to his mouth.  Another moment passed and Matsumoto turned back to the Principal.

"No, it wasn't," he said.  

Tokitoh felt his stomach drop.  This was it.  Show's over.  He leaned his head back on the wall and closed his eyes.  Goodbye, Araiso.

He heard Takahata sigh.  "I see.  Well, that means I will have to-"

"It was a mistake, sir.  That's what it was."  Matsumoto's voice broke in.  Tokitoh opened his eyes and looked over at him.  The other boy's gaze was on the Principal.

"What did you say?" Takahata asked.  

"I said it was a mistake, sir."  Matsumoto answered.  "We had talked about setting up a special way of finding new members for the Executive Committee.  This mock-fight was one of them.  Although in the meeting it sounded like a plausible idea, I see now," and with that said, he waved his hand towards Tokitoh, "that it is not at all appropriate for us.  We, of course, need to set a standard for the other students to look up to rather than add chaotic factors.  On behalf of the council, I apologize for any misunderstandings up to this point and I can assure you that nothing like this will happen again."

"I see…"  Takahata was quiet for a moment.  "Well, that does clear up everything, doesn't it?"

"I want to repeat, sir," Matsumoto dropped his head in a slight bow.  "This will not happen again."

Takahata nodded slowly.  "I guess there is only one more matter to address then."  They all looked back at him, silently.  The Principal pointed to Tokitoh.  "After all that has happened, did he pass your test?"

Tokitoh's eyes widened and he turned to see all three of the other boys gazing back at him. "…um…I…uh…" he stammered out.  What was he supposed to say now?

Matsumoto turned back to the Principal.  "This is something we'll have to of course discuss-"

"Of course, he passed." Kubota interrupted.  "Flying colors by EC standards."  Tokitoh saw Matsumoto's face darken, but the other boy didn't say anything else.

Takahata shook his head.  "Very well then."  He stood up from his desk and motioned his hand towards the door.  "Thank you, boys, for coming down here.  If you would be so kind, I would like a few more minutes with your newest member."  Tokitoh watched as the others each bowed to the Principal and exited.  He felt a light pat on his arm and he turned to see Kubota giving him a wave as he closed the door behind him.  He turned back to the Principal who was once again sending him an expectant look.

"Sir?" he asked.

Takahata sighed and started to scratch the back of his head.  "Young man, I'm not quite sure what just happened here, but maybe that's for the best."  He looked back at Tokitoh.  "Is this what you want?  Do you want to stay here at Araiso?"

Tokitoh swallowed and looked down.  It was strange.  Out of all the times he'd had this dream, no one had ever asked him that.  He looked back at the door.  He couldn't make anything out through the fogged glass, but even if he couldn't see it clearly, he had the feeling somehow that there was someone standing outside, waiting, and waiting for him.  That felt strange too.  It was weird to have this dream with someone else, and have that someone else keep kicking his chair.  He looked back at the Principal and nodded slowly.  "…Yeah, I think I do."

"What about the Executive Committee?  Do you want to be in that?"

Tokitoh nodded again.  "…Yeah.  I think that would be okay."

The Principal took a moment to think that over.  "Well, why don't we both make a deal then?"

"…A deal, sir?"

"What I mean is," He pointed to Tokitoh.  "How about for now on you try, and I emphasize, try, to keep to the rules.  If you are going to be in the Executive Committee, your job will be to maintain the order expected for all Araiso students.  If you can work hard, and not give up on that, then I," He pointed to himself.  "will not give up on you.  Together, we can both try a little harder to keep these goals."  Takahata extended his hand out towards him.  "Is it a deal, young man?"

Tokitoh looked at the hand for a moment before gingerly taking it.  "…Deal."

The Principal smiled back at him.  "Good.  Now why don't you," He looked up at the clock on the wall.  "Go and spend the last half hour of your first day here where you are supposed to be, in class."

"I will, sir."  Tokitoh bobbed his head in a bow, and turned to leave.  His hand was on the knob when the Principal called out for him to wait.  Tokitoh turned his head to see Takahata rummaging again through a drawer in his desk.  Finally he pulled out a small white slip and then walked over and handed it to him.  Tokitoh looked down at it.  It was a band-aid.

"For this."  The Principal tapped his own nose.  "But it won't do much but cover up the bruising.  My suggestion is that it would probably be best for you to carry a little supply of these around."  He turned and walked back to his desk.  "At least until the 'squirrels' are out of the building."

Tokitoh couldn't help but smile.  "Gotcha."

Closing the door behind him, he let out long breath and looked down at the band-aid.  

This was by far the weirdest school…Ever.

He shrugged and headed for the door to the hall.  After a few paces, the smile on his face grew even bigger.  With each step he walked, he suddenly felt lighter and lighter.  It was like his feet could go anywhere.  He looked again at the band-aid in his hand.

…Maybe weird was what he really needed though to finally wake up from the dream that before seemed to never have an end.

-----  

^^ -tbc    


	7. Across Platform C part 7

Note- For those who have been following this, thanks for waiting this long.  I'm sorry for the delay.  Any and all feedback is very much appreciated.  Thank you always.

Disclaimer- All that is EC is owned by Minekura Kazuya.

Warnings- Language for now.

Stay Here With

Across Platform C – Part 7

That…that had gone better than I had expected…

Or had he expected that outcome from the beginning?  He wondered this absently as he leaned against the wall across from the office and searched his pockets until he found his cigarettes.  He felt the pack with his fingers and frowned.  He held it up, shaking it and smiled to himself when he heard something soft hit the inside wall of the pack.  Still one left.  

"This will have to do until after school," he said softly as he shook the last cigarette out into his hand and then fished around for his lighter.  Bringing the flame up to his mouth, he lit the tip and then after a moment, breathed out a thin stream of smoke.  "…I wanted this the entire time we were in there."  He closed his eyes and enjoyed the familiar taste.  Even without Suzuki, it had really worked out, thanks to the final cooperation from his former partner.  He opened his eyes and looked towards the Council Treasurer, and found the other boy glaring at him.  He held up the empty pack in response.  "Did you want one?" he asked, jokingly.  "Sorry, but I'm all out."

Matsumoto's glare darkened.  "Good, then this will feel even better."  Kubota gave him a questioning look, but Matsumoto only responded by walking up to him and without warning, snatching the cigarette out of Kubota's mouth and dropped it on to the ground.  

"Hey, that was my last one."  Kubota watched as Matsumoto placed his foot on the cigarette and pressed it into the floor.  

"Well, now that you're suddenly interested in performing your duties, we might as well go all the way and obey ALL the rules here, including _no smoking_ on campus."  Matsumoto looked up at him.  "Now, what the hell just happened?"

"Well, you just took my cigarette," Kubota looked mournfully at the floor, "and might I add, my last one, and threw it-"

"I mean IN THERE!" Matsumoto pointed into the office.  "What the hell was that?"

"I believe that was a meeting, Council Treasurer, between us and the principal.  I think it went rather well.  Don't you think so, Tachibana?"

Tachibana looked up, and by his expression, was surprised to be suddenly included into the conversation..  "Well…yes, it did seem to…go well, as you say, but I can't say I understand all the circumstances involved."

"You're not alone," Matsumoto's eyes narrowed.  "I think only one person understood fully what was going on in there, and that's about to end NOW.  Explain, Makoto.  What the HELL just happened?"

Kubota watched his former partner carefully.  Something was definitely different.  Matsumoto's normal facade of cool irritation seemed to be slipping little by little.  Maybe his office stunt had pushed the other boy a little far, he thought to himself.  That didn't really bother him too much though.  What would Matsumoto do?  He was now in the same boat as him, and he had placed himself in it.

"What?  Now suddenly you have nothing to say?" Matsumoto's voice went up an octave, one of the few signs Kubota knew that he was getting close to the Treasurer's don't-cross-me line.

"Excuse me," Tachibana looked back towards the door.  "If I may interrupt, perhaps we should move this conversation somewhere else?"  But neither boy seemed to hear him, nor did they make a move to leave the hallway.

"What do you want me to say, Matsumoto?" Kubota asked.  

"How about starting with why are we here?  What was _that_ in there?  You and I both know there is no _secret_ initiation process with the EC, so if you wouldn't mind, how about an explanation that doesn't come out of your ass." 

"You wound me, Matsumoto." Kubota held up his hand to his cheek, a look of hurt on his face.  "Are you telling me that you didn't get the paperwork either?  But you sounded so sincere.  I never imagined that you also weren't aware of our new recruitment plan."

Matsumoto's face was turning a dark red.  Kubota knew he should start to pull back, but he couldn't help himself.  Rarely did this opportunity stand so clear before him, and he was feeling too elated not to take it.  With the meeting over, and all of them coming out of it unscathed, he didn't feel there was anything that could bring him down at that moment.  

"I have had enough of you for today, Makoto." Matsumoto spoke slowly, his voice low.

Kubota just cocked his head and looked at him.  "Council Treasurer?"

"Ignoring the meetings, fighting without wearing your armband, calling us down from class so you can play out your version of reality-"

"My version of reality?  Now that's a little much."

"Oh, I beg, no, I **stand** to differ." Matsumoto stood in front of him.  Their height difference forced him to look up, but didn't minimize the defiance in his eyes.  "Because only in Kubota-land would those rules you said in there make any sense."

"Well, Principal Takahata seemed to believe it." Kubota countered lightly.

"Only because of me, Makoto.  Do you understand that?"  Matsumoto spat back in anger.  Kubota took another step closer to the line when he made a show of wiping a few flecks of saliva from his glasses.

"What are you trying to say, Matsumoto?"

"You tell me, Makoto.  What's stopping me from going straight in that office and taking it all back?  Saying 'Why, no, there was no _planned fight, no __missing paperwork, and no new _initiation_ process?"_

Kubota looked down, studying his face.  He lowered his head so their noses were only a few inches apart.  "And admit you lied?  I don't see you doing that, Future Candidate."  Kubota leaned back against the wall and placed his arms across his chest.  "On the other hand, why don't we get passed our usual routine and go straight to the point, shall we?  You wouldn't have played along with, now what was it, with _my version of reality, if you didn't want something in return."_

Matsumoto's brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to reply, but then closed it.  Kubota just returned his usual knowing smile.  Matsumoto averted his eyes, and seemed to be thinking.   He turned and looked back at Tachibana.  The other boy just stood quietly aside, watching him.  He looked again to Kubota.  "You can believe what you like, Makoto.  I'll have you know that I have no ulterior motives."

"Really?"  Kubota gazed back at him coolly.  "Then tell me this.  Why lie?  Why play along?"

Matsumoto returned his look.  "…You first, Makoto."

"Excuse me?"

Matsumoto's eyes were intent on his.  "Why don't you tell us what's so important that you risked not just expelling one student but yourself if Takahata found out?  Why, Makoto, why did you lie?"

Kubota didn't respond at first.  He instead just pushed his glasses back up.  Was Matsumoto waiting for some grand statement here, he wondered.  He barely understood why he had walked into that office.  It had just seemed like the only way at the time…the only way to…

"No reason really," he answered simply.  "Just felt like it, I guess."

"WHAT?" Matsumoto tone again went up an octave.  He clutched at his throat and grimaced at his own changing voice.  "No reason?" he hissed.  Kubota shrugged in response.  Matsumoto's hands went to his head, as if trying to fathom Kubota's words.  "Just…felt like it?"  He rubbed his temples for a moment, and all three stood in silence in the hall.  In the quiet, a scratching noise reached his ears, and Kubota turned his gaze from the others and towards the window.

Tachibana used their pause to try to get their attention again.  "…Maybe we should continue this in a more private setting, the student council office perhaps?"  

The secretary was again ignored.  Matsumoto, still rubbing his head, seemed to finally collect his thoughts.  "You always do this," he said in a low voice, looking at Kubota.  "It's always how _you feel and you _never_ care if anyone else around you gets hurt by it."_

Kubota glanced back at him and then returned to looking at the window.  

With barely a pause for an answer, Matsumoto continued.  "Nothing ever matters to you.  Not the school, not the council, not the executive committee.  It's always you and what you want, even if it completely ruins- are you even LISTENING to me?" 

Kubota was in fact, not listening.  "Excuse me for one moment," he said as he walked passed Matsumoto and Tachibana towards the far window.  Matsumoto opened his mouth to protest, but Kubota just held out his hand to stop him and then placed a finger over his lips.  "Inside voices, Council Treasurer," he whispered and then crept up to the window.  Standing by the wall, he peered over.  He caught sight of a familiar curly-haired head bent down among the bushes.  Kubota could just make out a pencil moving furiously, its tip scratching away at a surface buried somewhere in the leaves. 

"You're going to get all dirty kneeling in the grass like that," he called out.

"Oh, it's okay," the curls in the bushes answered back, "I'm sitting on paper…"  The bush trailed off as the realization slowly hit.  The head looked up and their eyes met for a moment.  "…oh, crap…"  He made to run, but Kubota's long arm shot out after him.  

Both the Council Treasurer and the Secretary stepped back in surprise as Kubota's hand came back holding onto the collar of a familiar student.  In the student's hands were a tightly held notebook and pencil.

"Hey, let go!" the editor and only reporter for Araiso's school newspaper flailed his arms about, but Kubota just dragged him back.

"Once you stopped talking, I could suddenly hear something else," Kubota dropped the boy on the floor.  "It took me a second to realize it was someone writing, and doing so very close by."

"Sato!" Matsumoto hissed.  "How long have you been sitting out there?"

"Long enough!" Sato stood up.  "Long enough to know that the institution set up to protect the innocents here is really built on a foundation of corruption and lies!"

"You just figured that out?" Kubota said behind him.  "Sato, I'm disappointed in you."

"Joke away, Kubota," he turned to him, his hand, still gripping tightly to his pencil, raised high in the air.  "But I'll see to it that all students here will know that the web of deceit runs all the way down, even to the Executive Committee, the moral marrow of Araiso!"

"Moral marrow?" Kubota scratched his head.

"You like it?" Sato's expression quickly changed from indignation to pride.  "I just came up with that.  I like the alliteration.  It's got this nice little flow to it."

"I'm pretty sure no one thinks we're either moral or the marrow-"

"Enough!" Matsumoto's voice broke in.  "This is the LAST thing we need right now.  You," he pointed to Sato.  "Stop writing!"

"What?  You expect me to drop this?"  Sato stepped back away from them, clutching his notebook to his chest.  "This is gold, here.  Corruption, lies, unrequited love between council members- I am so winning the national school newspaper prize this year."

"Unrequited WHAT?"  Matsumoto took a step towards the retreating editor.

Sato quickly licked his pencil and started to write, "Would their lies protect their love…or shatter if?  Cool ambition brought him high into the council, but would the ties to the past be the final blow to his future political career?"       

"Wha- you- I- ARGH!" Matsumoto gripped his head in frustration and then turned his full anger towards Kubota.  "THIS, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"

Kubota nodded his head towards the office.  "Inside voices, Council-"

Matsumoto threw himself towards Kubota then, taking the taller boy by surprise.  Kubota stepped back as the other boy's hands went for his throat.  So this is crossing your line, Matsumoto, he thought as he brought his hand up to block.  Somehow…I'm disappointed.  But his eyes widened as something quickly slid in between him and the charging Treasurer.

Matsumoto brought his fists down, but they were blocked by a raised arm.  He bounced back a step, his angry expression replaced quickly by surprise.  "You…"

Tokitoh glared back at him.  Without glancing back to Kubota, he slowly lowered his arm, and stepped forward.  "If you're gonna hit someone, than hit me.  This whole thing is my fault, ain't it?  So isn't it me you're really angry at?  So go ahead and hit me.  But let me tell you this."  He spoke in a low, controlled voice, his eyes never leaving Matsumoto's.  "This- this is your only freebie.  Any other time, and I'll hit back.  I don't care who you are."

Matsumoto said nothing, just looked back at him.  His hand was raised, but it stayed still in the air, as if frozen.  Kubota looked at the figure standing in front of him.  It's like he's protecting me...he thought.  How strange?  He then looked towards the office door.  How long had Tokitoh been standing there?  He turned back to see Matsumoto and Tokitoh still staring at each other.  The hall was completely quiet.  Even Sato stopped writing to watch them with rapt attention.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

All jumped at the sounds and turned to see Tachibana by the office door.  His fist lay now still on the glass, but the echoes of his knocking seemed to ring out down the hall.

"Yes?" they heard Takahata's voice call out from inside.

"Now, if I may be so bold to interrupt," Tachibana smiled lightly at them, "Shall we finish this in the Council office?"  They heard the heavy footfalls of the Principal walking towards the door.  "Or would you all rather have another meeting this afternoon?"

When Principal Takahata opened the door to the hall, he found it mysteriously empty.

------ 

"Your tea, Sato-kun.  You said two sugars, yes?"  Tachibana smiled graciously as he handed the editor a full cup and saucer.

Sato took it and opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.  Under the Secretary's beaming gaze, even he was struck silent.  He only nodded thank you and brought the cup to his lips.  Kubota smiled as he noticed the saucer shake.  He had never seen Sato's cheeks that shade of pink before.  It seemed that Araiso's newest council member did have a way with the students.  

Tachibana turned the smile towards him.  "Are you sure you don't want anything, Kubota-kun?  Water perhaps?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Kubota smiled back, unfazed.  Even if Tachibana's name was quickly climbing up the "wanna-screw" list that hung secretly about the school, the boy wasn't his type, no matter how pretty his face was.  Kubota had a hunch that he and the Secretary, although very different in character, were similar in other…more aggressive ways.  He kept this opinion to himself though.  Wouldn't want to ruin the fantasies of the list-makers.

He looked sideways to Tokitoh, who was fidgeting next to him.  He also refused the tray of refreshments.  Kubota noticed that the warm glow that Tachibana emanated didn't appear to even register with the other boy.  Tokitoh just glanced around the office nervously, his hand inching towards his mouth.  Just as he was about to gnaw on the nail of his thumb, Kubota flicked the back of his head, getting his attention.

"You're not going to have any left if you keep doing that."

Tokitoh seemed to just notice that his thumb was practically in his mouth.  His cheeks reddened and he quickly stuck both hands in his pockets.  "What's it to you?" he muttered.

"Nothing.  It'll just be a pain to have to open up all your drink cans for you because you bit your nails off."

"Hey," he scowled back.  "Who said I'd ask you for anything-"

"Ahem," Matsumoto coughed and they all turned.  While Tachibana had been getting everyone "settled" in the office, he had been collecting together a stack of papers on the desk, and in doing so, he seemed to have collected himself.  His expression was cool and controlled, and didn't betray even a hint of his earlier outburst.  He sat down in the chair that was normally reserved for the president.

"You seem very comfortable there, Council Treasurer," Kubota nodded towards the desk.

"Do us all a favor, Makoto, and keep your observations to yourself for the moment."  Matsumoto turned his gaze to Sato who still had his nose in his tea.  "Sato.  Can we move beyond our usual council vs press relationship for today and have you just drop the story?"

Sato looked up.  "You're asking me to join in on the cover-up?  No way.  That goes against everything the Advantage stands for.  I'm here to spread the truth- not hide it like some sell-out."

Matsumoto closed his eyes and rested his mouth on his clasped hands.  "Sato, do you even really know 'the truth' here?  Because I can't even tell you what the straight story is."

Sato took a sip from his cup and then brought it down.  "…I heard what you said to Kubota, that you all lied to the principal.  I know it's about what happened outside, and that the Executive Committee and the council are involved.  I know that you're hiding something from the administration and the students here, and it's my job to make sure what's hidden doesn't stay that way."

Matsumoto opened his mouth to respond, but Kubota spoke first.  "Even if what you're doing would get someone kicked out, someone who risked themselves to help you in the first place?"

Sato turned towards him, his expression confused.  "What are you getting at?"

"I'm getting at the fact that he," Kubota tapped Tokitoh's head, "was in that office today because he left class to save you."  He then pointed towards Sato.  "So you're telling us that this truth of yours is more important than helping out the person who got in trouble for you.  You get the story.  He gets kicked out.  Is that it?"

"No, that's not it.  I mean- today-" Kubota hid his smile behind his hand as Sato, normally a fast talker, started to stumble.  "…like, yeah, he helped me, but that doesn't me I have to not tell the truth."

"So he sacrifices himself but you don't have to?  That's quite the system you got there."  Kubota shook his head.  "Maybe that will work for today, but if that got out, that those who help you will risk expulsion without any aid in return, I can't see the paper getting much support after that."

"…Are you threatening the Advantage?" Sato's turned instantly defensive.

Matsumoto sighed in the background.  "Not again."

Kubota shrugged.  "Take it as you like, but I call it reality.  No one's going to want to talk with you if they think they're too much at risk.  Most people will want to protect themselves first and truth second."

"That's 'cause most people are losers," Tokitoh added in a low voice.

"See?  Perfect example of someone who blindly tells the truth and gets nowhere for it." Kubota flicked Tokitoh's head again.  "Sometimes though, you need to balance between that truth and what keeps you in the game.  Right, Matsumoto?"

Matsumoto didn't respond, but was watching him carefully.  Kubota turned back to Sato.  "So what are you going to do?  Tell the truth, get him kicked out, and wreck any future confidence in your ability to protect those who help you, or keep this one little story quiet, and maintain the belief that the Advantage can in fact shield those who go out of their way to aid them?"  Kubota held up his hands in the air, as if balancing both choices.  "Ball's on your side.  How are you going to play?"

Sato chewed on his lip and looked from him, to Tokitoh.  He chewed some more and Kubota could hear the clock on the wall tick the seconds away.  Both Matsumoto and Tachibana stood back, waiting, and Tokitoh's hand again began to inch towards his mouth.  Kubota finally just took his hand and placed it on the arm of the chair, keeping his on top.  He could feel the other boy's fingers twitch under his own, but he didn't move his away.  Tokitoh looked up and their eyes met.  Kubota gave him a reassuring smile and hoped that his silent wish for the other boy to remain still for just a moment would get through, but he started to think his look must be saying something else because Tokitoh's expression just became more confused.  

A sound of ceramic on wood woke him up, and he turned to see Sato putting down the saucer.  "…So, if it's all really just a game, as you say…"  The editor looked from Kubota to Matsumoto.  "If that's it, and you need me to play along, then you have to sweeten the deal more."

Matsumoto frowned.  "Meaning what?"

"Meaning I need something to replace the two stories I lost for today." Sato expression was firm.  "My readers expect something worthwhile to put in that space."

"Two?" Matsumoto sat back.  "What else is there?"

"Ah, I see." Kubota answered for Sato.  "He's referring to the article he started already about the fight with Yutaka, the one that we jumped in on.  What was it called, 'the Underwear of Araiso'?"

"Underworld, Kubota." Sato rolled his eyes.  "And that's exactly what I'm talking about.  If the fight was supposed to be a fake as you said back in the hall, then there's nothing to write.  If you want me to drop all of it, you need to give me something good to replace it."

"How about keeping your budget for this year?" Matsumoto countered.  "How's that for a deal?"

Sato's eyes narrowed.  "Okay then.  Why don't I just _reuse 'Which way does our new treasurer lay?'  With all the extra space, I can put it in big, bold letters."   _

Matsumoto's mouth fell open and he started to stand up when a hand dropped on his shoulder, keeping him in his seat.  Matsumoto looked up to see Tachibana smiling down at him. 

"It would be only right to provide a proper replacement for the work Sato-kun has done already."  Tachibana turned his gaze towards the editor.  "I would be happy to sit down with you for an interview about the new council positions.  Of course, if that is not a suitable choice, then maybe-"

"Deal!" Sato stood up quickly, knocking the small table before him with his knees.  Kubota reached out to catch the cup and saucer before it fell onto the floor.

Matsumoto studied the Secretary for a moment.  "…You don't have to do this."

"Oh, but I want to," Tachibana gave him a comforting smile.  "It would be my pleasure to help."

Sato was already getting his pencil ready.  "I think we should hit the important questions first, of course.  Your role in the council, your background, are you dating anyone currently…"  

Kubota smiled at the irony.  Thanks to his hormones, it appeared that even their noble editor had his price.  He sat back and watched Sato dance about, throwing question after question towards Tachibana, who fielded them expertly, never losing his calm smile.  Matsumoto, on the other hand seemed to be getting even more irritated as the questions continued to move deeper into personal matters.  "What does his sexual history have to do with this?" he asked coldly.  

"Inquiring minds want to know," Sato waved him off and continued.  "So what kind of reporter type do you prefer?  Strong or pushy?"

Kubota looked towards Tokitoh who again was nibbling on his thumb nail.  The boy seemed completely lost in thought and oblivious to the sudden interview and everything else around him.  Kubota was about to flick his head again, when Tokitoh looked up and spoke.

"What about the guys?" he asked loudly, interrupting Sato's questions.  "The guys who fought today?  Are they just gonna get away scott-free?"  

Everyone turned towards him and Tokitoh looked back expectantly.

"…That's not cool either," he continued.  "I mean…what they did was wrong.  They tried to beat you up.  If they get away, what's to stop them from doing it again?"

"Exactly," Kubota answered.  Tokitoh looked back him, surprised.  "There's nothing to stop them from doing it again.  They'll be confused at first why they're not in trouble, and then they'll feel confident about it, like we couldn't nail them.  They will then act again, but this time, we'll be paying more attention because we'll be expecting it.  So, yes, for today they will get off, just as you did."  Kubota pointed towards him.  "But that doesn't mean they'll get off next time.  The EC will just have to be on better alert for them specifically.  Any other questions?"  

Tokitoh shook his head.  "Nah…I guess."

Kubota nodded, and then stood up and stretched.  "Well, if that's it, Council Treasurer, then I think everything is settled for now."  He started towards the door.  "If you'll excuse us, we have last period to finish."  He looked over his shoulder to Tokitoh.  "Coming?"

Tokitoh nodded slowly and then followed.  Kubota's hand was on the door when Matsumoto's voice stopped him.  "One second, Makoto."  He turned to see the Treasurer walk over from the desk.  "I need to finish something else with you."   Matsumoto's eyes flicked over to Tokitoh.  "Alone."

Kubota looked back at him for a moment.  What else was there?  He started to ask, but Tokitoh just shrugged and began to walk down the hall.

"Whatever.  I need to go take a piss."

Matsumoto eye's followed him and then narrowed.  "Hey, Tokyo!"  

Tokitoh stopped, and turned, scowling at him.  "That's not my name."  

Matsumoto didn't seem to care.  "Just because you're in the Executive Committee today doesn't mean it's final.  Blow any more rules and you're out, that's it.  No more saves."

Tokitoh's face darkened, but he didn't say anything.  Instead he just turned and walked off.  Kubota stood and watched as he disappeared around the corner.

Matsumoto coughed and he looked down to see the other boy's eyes now on him.  "Do you need to lead him there by the hand too?" he asked icily.

Kubota shrugged.  "I don't know what you mean."

Matsumoto's mouth was a thin line.  He then looked both ways down the hall before speaking.  "Listen, and I mean, listen, Makoto.  Today was as close to a disaster as I want to be.  I know you don't give a damn about anything, or at least you didn't until today, but for the sake of the council and EC, and whatever else there is," Matsumoto's gaze shot towards the direction that Tokitoh had left in.  "Just for once, act responsible and know that something's on the line here.  Everything you do reflects on the EC, and everything they do reflects on the council.  Like you said in there, it's all a game, but if you and_ whatever want to keep playing, then stick to the rules.  Otherwise, next time, I may not remember too well when someone asks me to confirm your little plans.  Do you understand?"_

Kubota nodded.  "Crystal clear, Council Treasurer."

Matsumoto seemed satisfied and he turned towards the office, but then stopped. With his hand on the door, he spoke, his back to Kubota.  "…You were right earlier, Makoto."  He tapped his fingers on the door for a moment.  "…You were right when you said that I had a motive.  I did then, and I still do."  He looked back over his shoulder.  "You owe me now and you know it and you can't bullshit your way out of it.  So what I want is for you to start doing what I ask, when I ask it.  I want you to follow the rules, I want you to keep an eye on Hiragi, and the next time I call a meeting, yours is the first face I'd better see.  Do whatever else on your own time, but when it's my time, I don't want you to waste it anymore."  With that said, he opened the door to the office and stepped inside.  

The sound of the door closing on him seemed to echo down the hall.  Kubota just stood there and listened as echo drifted off, and somehow, his wanting to return to class drifted off with it.

Maybe he had gone a little far this time…

He scratched his head and then turned, walking towards the stairs.  

And maybe things will be a little tougher from now on.  

His hand moved to his pocket only to feel the empty pack that he had slipped back in it.  His last cigarette probably still lay crushed on the floor in front of the main office.  

But it was worth it, right?

His mouth twitched.  He missed that familiar feeling of holding something between his teeth.

Whether it was with Matsumoto, or him, or this new nail-biting member of the Executive Committee, things were definitely changing.

And where these changes would lead him, he wasn't quite sure, but he felt that suddenly he wanted to mourn for the rest of his lost cigarette someplace not here, someplace high and away from the council and his ties to it and everything else.

----

He sped through the halls with barely a glance to where he was going.

"Who the hell does he think he is?"

Blow any more rules and you're out?  No more saves?  

"Like I'd ask you for any favors?" he steamed.  Who died and made you big-shot-jerk-face anyways?  

"Calling me Tokyo, like that's some kind of insult."  He clenched his fists and started walking faster.  "I'll show you Tokyo."  He threw one fist out in front of him.  "Here's Shibuya, for ya!  You like that?"  He smiled, his mood already rising.  He turned the corner, throwing his other fist out into the air.  'Then how about seeing Shinjuku?"

A uniform flashed before his eyes, but didn't register in time for him to stop his punch.  He moved sideways, trying to avoid the impact, but he felt his fist make contact.  The next second he was on the floor, kneeling next to the student he had just knocked down.  

"…shit," he breathed, and looked over the other boy.  "Are you okay?"

"…Yeah, fine," the boy muttered, feeling his stomach.  "But damn…I don't want to see Shinjuku if that's the welcome I get."  

Tokitoh just looked back at him confused and remembered then his tirade down the hall.  He slapped his forehead with his hand.  He was such a dumb-ass.  He couldn't go five minutes without screwing up.  "Look…I'm really sorry."

"Not as much as me," the boy looked up and their eyes met.  Tokitoh's widened as he recognized the face from earlier that day.  He had been one of the students that had run up when he had been fighting outside.  He was…what the hell was his name?

"…Grand Pooh-bah…?"  It sounded so stupid, but that's all he could remember when Kubota had introduced them all. 

The boy gave him a surprised look and then recognition seemed to slowly dawn on him.  "Yo, new kid, right?"  Tokitoh nodded.  The other boy smiled.  "Heeeeeeeeeeeeey, funny meeting you like this?  You just can't stop hitting people!"

Tokitoh's face heated up, and he lowered his head in a bow.  "…Sorry."

"Yo, no problem."  The boy stood up and dusted off his pants.  "Next time wait until you turn the corner to throw a punch, unless it's a sneak attack, and then it's cool."  He turned to look around.  "That wasn't a sneak attack, was it?  Damn, I love that ninja-shit."

Tokitoh shook his head.  The other boy started to peer around the corner cautiously.  "Damn, wasn't I supposed to go down to the office and meet you and Smokestack or something?  Shit, I knew I was late."  He frowned and tapped his finger on his chin.  "If you're here then it must be all over.  What the hell did he want me for?  Running into the bathroom like there's some fire or shit.  Damn.  I gotta talk to him."

Tokitoh just looked back at him, slightly stunned.  The other boy finally stopped muttering and looked at him fully.  "So what's your deal?  You still here or are you out?"

It took him a second to realize what the other boy was asking.  "I'm still here…and I'm in that…that EC thing too now."

"Huh?  Really?" The other boy's face brightened for a moment and then he went back to peering around the corner.  "That's cool.  Come on by tomorrow and we'll get you settled."  He gave Tokitoh a quick glance back.  "You sure that wasn't a sneak attack."  Tokitoh just shook his head again.  "Damn…"  The other boy chewed his lip.  "I thought I heard my name called over the intercom of something.  I must be getting all paranoid.  Whatever…"  He began to creep away down the hall.  "No one is going to sneak on my ass, I'll tell you that!"  He turned and waved back.  "Tomorrow, come on by the EC room.  Since Smokestack seems to have taken up with you, we'll pair you guys up.  That's good for us since he's been flying solo ever since Curry Bread skipped out."

Tokitoh didn't understand what he was talking about and just watched as the other boy slid down the hall.  "Ninja-Suzuki strike!" he heard him cry out as he disappeared around the corner and out of sight.  He stood in the now empty hall, his anger from earlier replaced now with disbelief.  

"I don't get any of this."

He repeated that in his mind as he washed his face in the bathroom.  Looking in the mirror, he was reminded of how much of a mess he was from the fight outside.  Takahata's mirror only flashed him a glimpse of his blood stained nose.  There were no paper towels so he found the one clean corner from the handkerchief Kubota had given him earlier, dampened it, and began to clean away what he could.  The coolness of the wet cloth felt good against his skin and he just left it on his nose for a few moments, letting it soak in.  

He leaned his head against the mirror.  The glass too felt cool to the touch.  He closed his eyes, and for a moment his red-nosed reflection was gone.  

_Are you still here or are you out?_

He had said he was still here, but in reality, he didn't really know.  Everything that happened, Kubota jumping into the office, the council members joining in, that weird reporter-kid, somehow it all had come together and somehow he was still here, but it felt so strange, like some game that he was in, but everyone else was playing around him.  He just sort of was standing there and throwing punches without looking where they hit.  

He thought he had it all figured out before, when he had walked down the hall with the Principal.  He thought it was all over then.  He had thrown the wrong punch, and he was out of the game, out of Araiso, just like before, just like every other time.

But now he wasn't.  He was still here, and even if he threw the wrong punch, and knocked down the head of the club he was now in, it didn't seem to matter.  Somehow, he was still in the game.  

And what weirded him out most was that it seemed to really matter to someone else that he stayed in the game.

_Since Smokestack seems to have taken up with you, we'll pair you guys up._

He didn't really know what the other boy meant by that, nor did he really understand anything else he had said, but somehow, he had a feeling…

He heard a small snap, and he opened his eyes and saw that his hand was at his mouth, the nail of his pinky finger between his teeth.

_You're not going to have any left if you keep doing that._

He sighed and looked down at his hand.  The nails were so short now that the skin of his fingertips peeked out beneath each.  

Somehow he had a feeling that whatever he was about to do at Araiso, whatever game he was about to play, that already he had a good idea of who was going to play along with him.  And for some reason that felt okay, that whatever he was about to do, he wasn't about to do it alone.  And that weirded him out too, since he was always alone.  It was a fact he'd accepted a long time ago.

But now something was up, something was different…but what he didn't know though was why…

Another sound broke into his thoughts.  This time it came from behind him.  He turned around.  He thought he had been alone in here.  Although all the stall doors were closed, the bathroom had been completely quiet ever since he walked in.  He stood silent, and listened, and in another moment, he heard the sound again, a wet, sniffing noise.

He walked over to the stall he thought was most likely the home of the sound.  After another second, he raised his fist and knocked quietly on the door.  "…Hey, you okay."

There was silence from the other side.  He knocked again.  "Seriously.  Everything alright?"

"Go away," a voice called back.  "I'm fine."  The voice, young-sounding and shaky, sounded so the opposite of fine that Tokitoh didn't move.  

"…Yeah, sorry, but I don't buy that."

There was silence again on the other side.  He frowned and ran his hand through his hair.  He could just go now, and leave the crying kid in the toilet, but…damn, he hated this stuff.  Why do people have to be so lame, he wondered.  He turned and looked around, and spotted a stack of wrapped toilet paper rolls in the corner.  He grabbed them and walked back to the stall door.  He held one in his hand and in one movement, tossed it over the top of the door and onto the other side.

"…Hey!" the voice yelled.  "What are you doing?"

"Trying to make you come out!" he called back.  He looked down at the three remaining rolls in his hand.  "…I have tons more where that came from too.  So many you'll be able to climb out on top of them.  So either come out, or prepare to be TPed."  He tossed a second roll over.

He heard another loud sniff.  "What's it to you if I come out?  Hey, stop it!"  Tokitoh had tossed another roll over.  He had one left now.

"It's nothing to me.  It's just…not cool to be all cooped up here, you know?  I mean…" He looked around.  "Geez, it's the friggen toilet.  How lame of a place can you hang out in?"

"So what, you're calling me names?  You're the one who's throwing things!"  With that, one roll was tossed back over.  Tokitoh caught it easily.

"Hey, that's not too bad.  Try catching this one."  He tossed it back.

Whether or not the kid was really catching it, Tokitoh didn't know, but he continued to toss it right back at him.  Tokitoh would just throw it over again, and with each time, throw out another question.

"Whatcha doing in here?"

"…Nothing."  Another loud sniff.

"Is it just taking a long time to come out?"

"...No! That's not why I'm here."

"So what are you doing?"

"……"

"Did you get stuck in there?"

"No!"  The roll came back a little harder that time.

"So why don't you come out?"

Silence again.  The roll stayed on the other side of the door then.   

"…It's just…" the voice again was shaky.  "Today just went all wrong."

"What do you mean?"  Tokitoh turned over the cleaning bucket and sat down.

"…Today…" the voice started.  "…it was supposed to be…but then it wasn't…just…all wrong…"

Tokitoh sat with his chin in his hand.  Weird.  This sounded a little familiar.  Before the words really formed in his mind, he spoke.

"So?  You gonna let some bad day keep you in here?  It's not even over yet, and you're already giving up?  What's up with that?"

"You don't know what's it like!" the voice shouted back.  "Today was my first day here, and it was awful, every part of it.  I hate it here!"  With that said, the roll of paper came hurtling over.  Tokitoh leaned back, stretching his arms out, but he missed catching it.  He turned and watched it roll away.

"…Look…" he said slowly.  "You don't gotta believe me, sittin' in there.  But for me, you know, today was my first day too here, and yeah…"  He bit his lip, thinking and began to toss the last roll of paper between his two hands.  "…it really sucked in parts.  I mean, some jerk-off punched me in the face.  The kids who run things here are totally nuts.  And talking about nuts, the doctor-guy here, he's got this problem with squirrels, saying they're all out to get him and shit.  I mean, for crying out loud, could this place be any more fucked up? I mean…"  he trailed off, thinking back.  "Man, I'm glad someone else sees how wrong this place is."

He heard another sniff.  "…yeah?"

"Yeah." He nodded to the closed door.  "But you know what?"  And suddenly, it seemed like he was talking to himself more than anything at that moment, like he, more than the person behind the door, needed to hear this.  "This may sound all messed up too, but even though this place is really fucked up, it's our fucked up.  You get it?  We can't all just say, 'this is wrong so I'm gonna chill in the toilet all day.'  You gotta go out there, and if you don't like it that much, you gotta fix until you do.  You get it?  Staying here ain't doing nothing but getting your clothes all smelly.  Out there ain't much better, and man, I know it too…but, I mean, you gotta try still…right?"

The other side was quiet.  Tokitoh wondered if the kid fell asleep somehow.  He leaned back and moved to toss over his last roll when there was click, and the door started to open.  

"Alright." He smiled, but then his expression quickly fell when the door was open fully.  There stood the figure of a beaten, bruised boy.  His uniform was rumpled and torn, his hair was plastered to his face, his lip and a cut over his eye were still bleeding.  "…Holy shit…I mean…"  He looked up and their eyes finally met, and he realized then that this was the second time that they had met.  It suddenly dawned on the other boy too.

"You!" he shouted and he ran up to Tokitoh, knocking him off the bucket.  Tokitoh held up his arms to block, but the other boy started to pound his fists into him.  "This is all your fault!" he cried out.  

Tokitoh tried to look up over his arms to see the other boy's face.  Tears were streaming down, and mixing with the dirt and the blood.  It was the same kid from that morning at the station, the same kid that he had jumped on the tracks for to get his bag.  But now, he looked completely different, like it was him who had been on the tracks, and somehow got trampled by the train itself.

"Hey, lay off!" he yelled back.  He finally was able to push the boy off.  "What's your problem?"

"You're my problem!" The boy's chest was heaving, and he gasped for breath.  "If you had just stayed away this morning. those guys would have left me alone!" 

"What are you talking about?" Tokitoh stood up.  "They were about to beat the shit out of you?  What was I supposed to do?  Just fucking watch?"

"Yes!" the boy spat back.  "Then it would have been over.  But no, now I've been pegged for life!  They did this!"  He pointed to his face.  "And they said they'll do it again!  And all they did was talk about how they wanted me to be you while they did it!"  The boy picked up the overturned bucket and threw it at him.  Tokitoh held his arm up and felt it bounce off and then heard it clatter to the floor.

He was speechless.  Never had he thought that this would happen.  He had just done what he thought was right…but it had been all wrong…and now someone else was getting punished for what he had done.   

"…I'm sorry."  He looked back at the boy.  "Look, I didn't mean-"

But the boy didn't let him finish.  "Just leave me alone!" he shouted as he headed for the door, his hands wiping at his eyes.  "Everything would have been fine if you had just stayed out of it!  Now my life is going to be hell and it's _your_ fault!"  He ripped the door open and ran out, slamming it shut behind him.

Tokitoh stood in the now-empty bathroom, his arms limp.  

This was all wrong…

He picked up the bucket and looked at it.  

How did this…why did he…

He threw the bucket against the wall, and when that just bounced off, he threw his fist against it.  It hurt, but he did it again and again.

He was so stupid…

He slid to the ground.  The pain in his hand throbbed, but it didn't match the tightness in his chest that seemed to want to squeeze all of his insides out.

He sniffed, and realized now that his own face was wet, just like the other boy's.  He held something up to his eyes automatically, and he opened them to realize he still was holding on to Kubota's handkerchief.  He looked grimly down at the stained wet cloth, feeling the fabric with his fingers.

He was so fucking stupid…

He had never been in this game.  He knew that now.

He had fallen out from the start, from the very beginning.

He had thrown a punch out without looking, and he had hit himself.

The door opened up suddenly and some boys walked in.  He stood up quickly and wiped his eyes with his hands.  They didn't seem to notice him.

Why should they, he thought bitterly.  If you're not playing, you're not even here.

He hurried out of the bathroom into the hall.  He walked without knowing where he was heading.  He just kept moving and kept rubbing his eyes.  

He came to some stairs and went up with them.  

He didn't know where he was going.

The only thing he did know was that it didn't matter anymore.

He knew now that it never had.

-tbc

^^ 


	8. Across Platform C part 8

Warnings- language

Disclaimer- Minekura owns all that is Kubotoki, in whatever incarnation.

Notes- ^^;;;;;  My apologies for the long wait (again).  I hope this chapter can in some way make up for it.  Big Thanks to J for being the Super-Beta.  And Big Thanks to everyone who has stuck through this and left reviews.  They're very, very appreciated, as is all future feedback.  Thank you very much. ^_^

Stay Here With

Across Platform C – Part 8

It was useless to have the lighter out, since his last cigarette lay crushed into the floor in front of the Principal's office, but Kubota still found himself fidgeting with it.  He'd open it, click it until it sparked, then close it.  But the repetition did nothing to lighten his mood.  Instead, it somehow brought him more down, since every time he sparked it, he was reminded that he had nothing to light.

He leaned against the roof's edge and looked across the school's courtyard.  His eyes fell on the bench directly below him.  He squinted, but there were no signs of the cigarette he had dropped during lunch.  

…Or had been made to drop.  He smiled bitterly, remembering.  Funny, now seemed so different from back then, and that was just a couple hours ago.  Funny…how things change so quickly…

It was as if missing the train that morning had somehow derailed everything from normal to…something else, something completely different, something completely unexpected, something like…

A figure standing on the tracks as the train was bearing down-

He remembered the rush of papers that had blown across the platform in the wake of its arrival.  He remembered hearing the second train coming and yelling out to the person he could no longer see, but he knew was still standing.  He remembered the other boy's scowling expression as they looked at each other across the tracks.  

The other's eyes had held his for one fierce moment, and it felt like…like he was challenging him, like he was standing right there and saying, "Do you wanna mess with me too?  Then bring it on!"  But he'd said this with only his eyes, and Kubota had wondered if his own responded in the way he'd felt like at that moment.  "I do." Followed by "And I will."

But then the other was pulled away into the office, and he suddenly felt all alone on that platform even though the younger boy was still standing nearby, clutching his bag.  

And as he stood there, listening to the officer's muffled shouts behind the office door, something was slowly clicking inside, like a lighter trying to ignite.  With each paper he picked up off the ground, he could hear it, just click-clicking away.  But he didn't really understand at that moment why it was clicking.  Nor did he understand why he was stooping over, picking up someone else's bag, and why he walked into that office like he knew what he was doing.  All he knew afterwards was that every time their eyes met, whether it was across the station, or out on the field, or in the nurse's office- him in the chair and the other boy sitting on the bed, scowling while still holding Kubota's handkerchief to his face- somewhere inside, he'd heard something click.

And he remembered the down look those eyes took on as the other boy followed the Principal out, as if all the energy they had a moment ago was suddenly gone.

As Kubota had watched him leave, it felt like the train was pulling out, and he wasn't on it.  So he did the only thing he could think of.  He reached out his hand and tried to stop it.

The other boy's eyes had traveled from his arm where Kubota was holding him, to his face, and they met for one brief moment, and inside, he heard it, the click.  Kubota had smiled, and he'd wondered if his own eyes were speaking the words he wanted to say.  He gave the arm a gentle squeeze, and he remembered the other boy's look then, a mix of earlier scowl and surprise and…something else.

And when he'd heard the door close, he suddenly felt all alone in that office, even though Matsumoto was standing right there with him.

And as he heard the Principal and the other boy walk down the hall, he understood what that something else, that something completely different, that something completely unexpected was.  

I want you to stay.  I want you to stay here.

And he heard something click-click inside, and then felt that unmistakable rush of flame igniting.

And he ran for that train, and somehow he managed to get on and stop it.  But in the end, he hadn't done it alone.  

He remembered Matsumoto's words.  _You owe me now..._

He leaned further off the roof's edge and looked down at the cigarette he knew was there, but out of sight, and he wondered how much more things were going to change.  How much did he owe Matsumoto now for his moment when he suddenly believed he could stop a speeding train? 

He sighed, and as the air came out, it hardened into a laugh, and he stood there, staring down and laughing at everything that he had lost that day.  Because it was not just one, not just two cigarettes, but also what freedom he had from the whims of the student council and their treasurer.  His hand went to his pocket, and he laughed more.  He had also lost his handkerchief.

Although he couldn't count that.  It had been a gift after all.

He breathed back in, and the roof returned to its normal quiet.  He looked around, and its peace somehow settled him in a way that reflection never succeeded at.

Because in the end, after everything, he still had his roof.

At least here, he could get away from the teachers, the students, and the council.  He looked down at his lighter and slid his fingers softly across the top, but instead of opening it again, he just slipped it deep into his pocket, where it would be silent.  Because here, there was a calm that could quiet all noise, even the ones on the inside that he couldn't explain. 

He tapped the roof's edge with his finger.

"Well, at least this hasn't chang-"

His finger stopped in mid-tap as the door to the roof suddenly flew open.  Kubota turned and looked back.

And somewhere inside, he heard something click.

-----   

Tokitoh had already stormed through the door and was halfway across the roof when he realized suddenly that he was not the only one there.  With his head bent down, he noticed the shadow first, and then looking up, saw the person attached to it.  A familiar face squinted back at him.  

Damn it!  Can't he be alone anywhere?  He rubbed his nose on his sleeve and then remembered how wet his face must look.  He turned away and wiped his eyes.  Shit, he must look like such a baby.  Why's he got to be here and see this?

"You following me or something?" he asked, still looking away from Kubota.  

"I don't think you can say that to someone who was here first," the other boy replied coolly.  He leaned against the roof's edge and folded his arms across his chest.

"…Well," Tokitoh searched for any comeback.  "If you came here to be all alone again, it's too bad 'cause I ain't leaving."  And to add weight to his statement, he walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down on the ground.  He sniffed and absently wiped his face with his sleeve again.  He glanced sideways to see Kubota still looking at him.  

"Shit, do something else, will ya?" he mumbled and dropped his head on his knees, covering it with his arms.  Maybe if he just didn't see the other boy, he could fool himself into thinking he was alone, and that no one was looking at him like this.

A long minute passed where neither of them moved, and for a moment, Tokitoh almost could imagine that he was alone.  With his eyes closed, all he could hear was the wind and his own breathing.  His heart had been beating fast ever since he had left the bathroom, and he took slow breaths to try to calm it.  But even as his mind started to clear up, his heart didn't slow down.  It almost hurt, it beat so fast, and when he closed his eyes, more tears squeezed out, ones he didn't even know were there.  He rubbed his face on his knees, smearing his cheeks and dampening his pants.

He wished the other boy would just leave, just go away and leave him alone.  That's why he came up here, right?  To be left alone?

Or to not fuck anything more up, said a voice inside his head.  You're really good at that.  At least here you can't mess up anyone else but yourself.

You go away too, he told his inside voice.  I don't need you either.

He heard a scraping noise, and then the feel of the wind lessoned a bit on his left side.  He peeked up to see Kubota's long figure now sitting next to him.  He was looking away from Tokitoh and to across the roof.  His lips twitched, as if they wanted something between them.  And maybe because they seemed to want something, it was Kubota who spoke first.

"So, since the rest of the class isn't sitting here with you…shall I assume you're skipping?"

He swallowed.  "What's it to you if I am?"

"Nothing.  Just curious.  Last time I saw you, you were heading in a different direction.  So, I'm just…curious," he repeated.

"…You gonna report me now?" 

"If you want me to, I guess I can.  Would be a little silly though, since I would have to report myself too."  Kubota leaned his head against the wall and waved his hand in the air.  "Excuse me, Principal. While I was outside on the roof and not in class, I saw HIM outside and also not in class.  Can you see my dilemma?"

Tokitoh did see it, but he didn't respond.  Instead, he just kept his head down.  After a moment, Kubota continued.  

"So, I guess we'll just have to either report each other or…not say anything at all.  Personally, I'm for the second choice since I've had my fill of the Principal's office for today."  He nudged Tokitoh's arm.  "My guess would be that you probably have too."

At his touch, Tokitoh pulled instantly back.  He sat up then and suddenly didn't care what his face looked like.  What Kubota had said set him off in a way he couldn't explain.  "You don't know anything about me!  You don't know what I want!"

Kubota just looked back at him with an eyebrow raised.  "So…you haven't had your fill of the Principal's office today?"

"No!  I mean- Yes!  I mean-"  Tokitoh squeezed his hands into fists as he tried to grasp at what he wanted to say.  So much of that day was hitting him all over again- the train station, the fight, the nurse's office, the principal's…

"You can't guess what I want…"  He clenched and reclenched his fists.  "You don't know me.  You don't know anything about me.  Anything!"

With that out there, he dropped his head back down.  He heard Kubota breathe slowly out, and then he spoke.

"You're right.  I don't know you."

"You don't."  Tokitoh repeated.

"I don't," he replied.

"So why do you…"  He looked up.  "Why do you keep helping me and stuff?  Like today and everything?  Why did you do that?  You don't know me.  So why the hell did you do all that stuff?"

Kubota chewed on his lip for a moment, thinking.  "…I guess I did it…for the same reason that I think you did it."

"What are you talking about?  Did what?"

"Well," he turned, facing him fully.  "Why did you do everything today?  Why did you jump in front of the train?  Why did you go and stop that fight?"

Tokitoh was confused.  Why was he bringing that up again?  Hadn't he told him this already?

"I did it because- I just couldn't…"

"-not do it."  Kubota finished his sentence.  "It's the same for me.  You asked why I helped you?  It's because…I just did.  No deep answer after that.  Pretty boring, huh?"

Tokitoh rested his cheek on his knees and thought about what he had said.  "But what about the stuff you do because…because you think you're helping someone, but then you just mess things up more?  What about that?"

"What about it?"

"It's just- it's messed up!"  He found himself yelling, and on the empty roof, it seemed so loud.

"Well, if you knew the outcome wouldn't be good, would you stop what you were doing?"

"Yeah, wouldn't you?"

"Dunno.  Can't tell the future so I never think about things like that."

"Then, why did you ask me?"

"Because it seems like that's what you're saying.  That you did something, and something bad happened, and now you regret it.  Is that right?"

Tokitoh's eyes widened.  How did he guess that?  He turned away from Kubota.  "You don't know anything."

"So, I'm wrong?"

"Yeah…you're wrong.  You're so wrong."  He ducked his head down and looked at his feet.  "But…"

"…But?"

"But isn't it…messed up?"

"What?  Me being wrong?  Bound to happen sometime."  Kubota laughed, a low sound in his throat.

"Nah, I mean, you doing something for someone, and it just makes things worse.  It's messed up, right?"

"It's not perfect."  Kubota nodded.  "But what's important sometimes is not the outcomes but your intentions.  You know?"

Tokitoh shook his head.  Kubota continued.

"For instance- The outcome from this morning was that the officer caught you.  Your intention, and correct me if I'm wrong because as you said, I don't know anything, is that you wanted to help out that kid.  Yes?"

He nodded slowly.  "Yeah."

"And today during the fight, the outcome was that you got hit."  Kubota reached out and held his finger just over Tokitoh's nose.  "And got in trouble with Takahata.  But the intention was to help Sato out.  Do you see?  The outcomes weren't good, yes, but the intentions- the intentions weren't bad."

Tokitoh sat back and puffed out his cheeks.  "But…"  He closed his eyes.  He couldn't believe he was going to talk about this, but Kubota's easy manner made him want to just tell him everything, even the things he just wanted to forget.  "You know that kid this morning, from the station.  I thought I was helping him, right?  But then, like today, because of what I did, he got beat up.  Really bad.  And it's my fault because if I hadn't stopped those guys, it wouldn't have happened.  But now…now it's really bad."

"And that's your fault?"

"Well, yeah.  They did it to him because they were mad at me!  But I wasn't there and he was!"

"So…are you saying that if you knew that was going to happen, that you would have just stood there with everyone else and not done anything while he got beaten up?"

Tokitoh swallowed and looked away.  He thought back to the station, and to the bully holding the other boy up by his shirt, about to throw down his fist.  He thought about how angry he was at that time, and how before he knew it, the trash bin was already on the floor, the cans spilling out across the platform.   Everyone's eyes were on him, but his were only on the boys by the tracks.  Without even thinking, he had moved.

But remembering the other boy's beaten face in the bathroom, he wished he had taken a second to think things over.  Maybe one second would have helped him out more than him just diving in there.

"Maybe…maybe if I knew what was gonna happen.  I mean, I didn't do anything for him, but fuck things up more, right?"

Kubota sat there silent for a moment and then slowly stood up.  "Yeah, I don't really believe you would have stopped.  Even if you knew what was going to happen."

Tokitoh looked up at him.  "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means."  Kubota spoke as he lifted one leg and climbed up on the roof's edge.  "I don't think you can stop yourself.  I think that's your way.  You act because at that moment, you think it's the right thing."  He stood up, and from his point on the edge, towered over Tokitoh.  "But like you said, I don't know you, so I could be wrong."

Tokitoh got up from the ground.  "What the hell are you doing?"

"You see, even if I don't know you, I still have theories, based on past experience from today."  Kubota held up his arms, balancing himself.  The roof's edge gave him enough room where both his feet could stand side by side together.  "And my theory is that no matter what, you will act.  Because you have to."

"What the- get the hell down from there!"  Tokitoh shouted.

Kubota smiled at him.  "Why do you care about what I do?"

"I don't.  It's just- it's- you could fall!"

"So?  Isn't that my choice?"  He took a few steps to the side, still holding his arms out.  "But what if," and he said this as he lifted one leg slowly in the air.  "What if I did this, and I tripped?  What would you do?"

Tokitoh just looked back at him with wide eyes.  "What are you talking about?"

"Would you come up here and help me?  Try to save me?"

He was speechless.  This guy was nuts!  He reached out and grabbed the edge of the roof with his hands.  He was ready to jump up there just so he could knock him down and shut him up.

"But what if you getting up here," Kubota continued, "made things worse?  Made me nervous.  Made me more clumsy."  He started to move the foot he held in the air.  "But since you don't know the future, you don't know what will happen.  So what will you do?  Will you just stand there and look at me?  Or will you come up here and try to help me?"  

He gripped the edge tightly with his fingers and felt the concrete dig into his skin.  His eyes were on Kubota's foot still high in the air.  For a second, he looked down at the ground, four stories below them.  

"…You are so fucking crazy," he said.

"Maybe so.  But I don't think that will stop you."  Kubota lifted his leg up higher.  "Will you stand there and prove me wrong?"

Tokitoh just stared back at him.  He was being dared to act one way or another.  Either get up or shut up.  He pursed his lips.  Well, he wasn't going to play this stupid game.

"Go to hell."  He turned and started to walk away.

"Well, that's a new one." He heard from behind him.  "Leaving.  Always an interesting choice.  Now you can say you had no control over anything, because you weren't here to watch or stop.  Good plan."

He kept walking, his anger building with each step to the door.  

Shut up already!  What the hell do you know?  You're fucking crazy!

_But I don't think that will stop you…_

Yeah, it will!  I'm not gonna go up and play your stupid-ass form of chicken.  I don't need to prove anything to you!

"It was nice knowing you!" Kubota called out behind him.  "Feel free to step over my body when you leave school today!"

His hand was on the knob of the door, and he gripped it so hard, it hurt.  He could so turn away from this.  He didn't have to do anything.  This was just a stupid game to this guy.  He threw open the door.  Just a stupid game.

A strong gust of wind suddenly hit his back, and even though his mind screamed at him to not turn around, he couldn't help himself.  He looked back.  Kubota, teetering a little on one leg, waved at him and smiled.  

He stopped and blinked, and something struck him hard inside.  It was the way Kubota smiled…there was something strange…something familiar about it…something…

He gripped the knob, and went through his memory.  It was back when…his arm…Kubota was holding it, and he was smiling like that…back at the nurse's office.  

Kubota kept waving, but the movement affected his balance and for a second, he faltered.

Tokitoh sucked in his breath and took a step towards him, but the other boy caught his balance and steadied himself.  He looked up, and their eyes met.

It hit him in flash, another memory, further back, from that morning when Kubota stood on one side of the platform, and he stood on the other.  It was the same look then, with that same indescribable smile.  

His fingers tightened on the knob, and he looked at the steps that led down into the school.  

He remembered back before he saw Kubota, when he was just staring at the tracks and at the other boy's bag that lay across them.

Because…

Standing there on the roof, he was far away from any station, but somewhere, he heard the unmistakable sound of a train, and it was coming closer.

Because I just can't…

The sound of it seemed to surround him, confuse him, almost blind him.  He remembered staring up at the faces as the train passed right in front of him, right where he was standing a moment ago.  He was shaking so hard that it took everything to keep standing.  And somewhere in that noise, he heard a voice.

_Would you come up here and help me?  Try to save me?_

And with that signal, he jumped.

Because I just can not…not do it…

Another strong gust of wind, and the door slammed shut, but he was already gone.

His hands barely touched the edge of the roof as he jumped, and then he was standing and facing the other boy.  He spread his feet apart sideways and brought up his fists.

"Don't think this means you know me," he yelled.  "Because you don't!"

Kubota just smiled in response and brought his leg down.  He then raised his own fists up.  "I guess we'll just see about that, won't we?"

----   

Kubota had to hand it to him.  Even when he had him pegged, Tokitoh still did what he had predicted in a way he never thought would happen.  

Maybe that's part of the fun of it all.  That unexpected part of his expected nature.  It was like you knew that a storm was coming, and you could even predict when the first drops would fall, but you had no idea how hard or how long.

Kubota, his fists raised, smiled at him.  Tokitoh only glared back.  They stood there motionless for several moments.  He could feel the wind suddenly pick up.  He looked down at the ground below and wondered how much longer before last period would end.

"I admit that this is interesting, but now what do we do?" he asked.  "We stay up here too long, and someone's going to notice."

"That's your problem," Tokitoh shot back.

"Really?  Then may I ask what your problem is this fine afternoon?"

"I'm looking at him." He took a careful step forward, closing their distance.  "Your ass is gonna be so down there in a second," he waved his fist towards the floor of the roof.  "That you're gonna wish you never got up this morning."

"Huh?  You see, I would think it would be that if my ass was down there," Kubota nodded towards the courtyard below, "I would really wish I never got up this morning."

Tokitoh didn't laugh at his joke, but instead took another step closer.  He was watching his feet intently, and Kubota glanced down.  "Something on my shoes?"

"You stand really funny for a guy who doesn't want to fall."  Tokitoh waved a fist at him.  "Spread your feet out more."

"Are you giving me tips now?  That's very sporting of you."

"Nah, just if we're doing this, we're doing this for real."  He took another step closer.  "None of this pussy-ass shit they teach us in gym.  First one hit gets off.  And I don't think I gotta tell ya to throw towards this way." He nodded towards the roof.  "You got it?"

"Crystal clear."  He spread his feet further apart and lowered his knees.  This way they were almost at eye level with him just a little higher.  

They bobbed a little bit then, watching each other's hands, feet, and eyes.  Kubota noticed that Tokitoh bit his lip when he was concentrating, and squinted one eye more than the other.  He wondered in the back of his mind which habits he was displaying at that moment.  He moved one hand back to push up his glasses, and he noticed Tokitoh's left foot lift.

He moved his upper body back and spread his arms out to keep his balance as Tokitoh's fist met the air right in front of him.  He took a breath in and prepared for the next move, but he realized then that part of the other boy's skill was his rebound speed.  He had barely regained balance when Tokitoh's fist came down again.

He bent his knees and ducked, and it went over him.  He reached forward, aiming for the other's legs, and for a second, he felt the fabric of his pants under his knuckles, but Tokitoh just bounced back a few paces, grabbing the roof's edge with his hand to steady himself.

Kubota took a slow breath and stood up.  "You're really fast."

Tokitoh just wiped his nose on his sleeve.  "Yeah, well…you're can dodge pretty good for a tall guy."

"They teach us that in tall guy school.  Otherwise we hit every low tree limb."  He smiled, and beckoned him with his hand.  "Come on.  Or have you lost your nerve already?"

His answer was first a low kick to his knees, and as he dodged it, then a fist towards his middle.  He held his arm out, blocking, and the impact of it sent Tokitoh back, his steps faltering.  Kubota started to reach out to catch him, but the other boy was able to straighten out and began again to bob on his feet.

"Thought you lost it there for a second."

"I didn't lose anything!"

"Oh, so was that dance," and Kubota mimicked the other boy catching his balance by throwing his arms out and waving them around, "Simply for my benefit?"  He rather liked the red tint Tokitoh's face was taking on.  

The other boy didn't seem as pleased though.  "…Damn, do you talk through everything?"

"Not everything.  I'm very quiet in the bathroom."

Tokitoh grimaced and took a step closer.  "Just…shut up or get down."

"Why, is me talking make you nervous?  Finding it hard to concentrate?"  Kubota matched his steps, first back and then forward.  He then looked down and took a wide step back.  Keeping his eyes on Tokitoh, he bent his knee more, and then suddenly it gave out.

"No, it's just that I'm TIRED of listening to- shit!" Tokitoh dove forward, his hands out to grab him.  He never noticed Kubota's smile.

Kubota's other knee fell on the edge, steadying him and he brought his arms up, catching the other boy.  Tokitoh looked up at him, wide-eyed.

"Got you."  Kubota winked and then threw him off the edge onto the floor of the roof.

Tokitoh lay there stunned for a few seconds and then looked up at him.  Kubota smiled back and stood up, dusting off his knees.

"…That was a dirty trick," Tokitoh muttered, slowly getting up.  "I thought you were gonna…" 

"Fall?  I know.  That's why I did it."  He folded his arms across his chest.  "Because I knew that you would help if you thought I needed it."

Tokitoh just glared back at him and rubbed his sleeve across his face.  'Still…that's not cool."

"Really?"  Kubota cocked his head to the side.  "Because I think what would be not cool would be you not trying to help.  So why don't you just stop worrying about the outcomes all the time and remember that your intentions were still good.  You know, start working along the lines of 'it's the thoughts that counts'.  And that's much better than a lot of other people who would never even think about moving towards me right now, let alone jump up here. Do you understand?"

Tokitoh just looked back at him and nodded slowly.  "…yeah…but what do we do when the outcomes aren't good?  We can't just sit around and say 'this sucks'."

We…huh?  That's a good question.  Kubota looked up and thought.  He was playing this by the moment, and the other boy was giving him this look like he suddenly had all the answers.  "I guess…we just keep going until things get-"

His words were suddenly cut off as a strong gust of wind came in from the east, blowing off the building.  His eyes widened as he felt himself forced back.  He started to move his arms out, but it was too late.  He felt the wind pushing him, and at his back, he felt nothing but air, and to his slow realization, that was all that was under his feet, air.

As his eyes moved up to the sky, one thought struck him.

I wasn't expected this…

And he fell.

-----  

He came to one sense at time.  First he saw the clouds above him, and the sunlight that was peeking out from behind them.  Then he felt the weight on his chest.  Then he heard breathing…followed by swearing.

"Fuckin' A!"  The voice was strained and cracking in at a higher pitch.  Kubota moved his head and looked down to see Tokitoh splayed out on top of him and looking very angry.

"Hello?" he asked.  Tokitoh glared back at him and slid off.  He looked away, but Kubota caught the slight pink tinge his cheeks had taken on.

"Well…that was exciting," he ventured.  "Wasn't expecting that to happen.  Good thing you're so fast otherwise I really would have-"

Tokitoh didn't let him finish.  "You bastard!" he yelled, starting to throw his fists down on him.  "You stupid fucking bastard!  What the hell were you thinking?  Were you trying to get killed?  Were you trying to get me killed?  You- you- asshole!"  He dropped his punches one after another.  None of them were really hard, but Kubota brought his arms out to block anyways.

"Hey, hey, you're beating up someone with glasses on.  Some EC member you are."  He joked.

"Glasses my ass!" was his answer back.  "Did your stupid glasses see what almost happened?"

"Yes, they did."  He nodded and grabbed Tokitoh's hands.  "So, can I say this one thing before you hit me again?"

The other boy stopped, partly because he was making him.  Kubota could feel his arms shake underneath his grip.  Tokitoh's breathing was hard and rushed, but he swallowed and waited for Kubota to go on.

"I just wanted to say that…"  And he brought his face closer so they were only a few breathes apart.  "…That I still won because I hit you first."

Kubota wished he had a camera to capture the other boy's expression then.  It was the perfect mixture of wide-eyed surprise and confusion, and then anger.  "You so did not win!"  He launched himself forward again, and Kubota, laughing, covered his face with his hands, but both boys stopped as the sound of the bell rang through the school.

Tokitoh, his hands still in the air above him, turned back to the building.  "Hey…is that-"

"-the last bell."  Kubota sighed and got up.  "Day's finally over."  He looked down to see Tokitoh still sitting.  "So are we done here?  Or do you want to stay and yell at me some more?"

The other boy remained silent for a moment, looking at his hands.  "…Let's go," he finally said.  He went to lift himself off the ground when something moved into his field of vision.  He looked up to see Kubota extending his hand out to him.

"Then let's go then."  He smiled.  Tokitoh just eyed him and his hand with a look of suspicion.  "What?  I'm not going to hit you.  I won, remember?"

"You didn't win!"  He grabbed Kubota's hand and allowed himself to be pulled up.

"Oh, yes I did."  They started towards the door.  Even from the roof, they could hear the noise of the students spilling outside down below.

"Then best two out of three!" Tokitoh countered as he grabbed for the door.  He turned to see Kubota looking back at him.  "…What?"

"Two out of three, huh?"

"Yeah.  Then we'd really know who'd won."  Tokitoh raised his fist up as if to solidify the deal.

Kubota looked from him and then to the roof's edge.  A part of him could still feel the wind on his back when he was falling for that one brief moment, when all around him was air.  Then suddenly, something else, something stronger then gravity, had pulled him down.  It was a feeling as startling as him hitting the floor of the roof, as unexpected as the weight on top of him that followed.  Something completely totally unexpected-

And then he heard something click.

His head whipped back, and he saw Tokitoh holding something in his hands.  It was a small red lighter, and he clicked it until a flame burst forth.  He looked at it for a moment before closing it and then held it out to him.  "This is yours, right?"

"…Yeah."  Kubota felt around in his pocket.  It was gone.

"I think it came out when you fell."  Tokitoh made to pass it to him and then stopped.  "Wait.  You're not getting this back."

"Excuse me?"

"Not until we rematch."  The other boy smiled at the idea and pocketed the lighter.  "Best two out of three gets it."

"…Well, shouldn't I hold it now since I won the first time?"

"You didn't win!"  Tokitoh waved at him and opened the door.  As he started to walk down the stairs, he stopped and gave a backwards glance.  "You comin' or what?"

Kubota just shook his head.  Once again, he was left surprised.  He was getting used to it though.  "Coming."

With his hand on the knob, he gave one last look over the roof.  The wind was still strong, and he felt it blow passed him and into the school.  He glanced up at the sky and at the sun that was just breaking through the clouds.

"Two out of three, huh?"  He laughed.  "We'll see about that."

"Are you coming?"  He heard from down the stairs.

He raised his eyebrows at the sky and shrugged.  Some things did pull harder than gravity.  He closed the door and heard it click shut.  And then he followed the voice back down into the school.

----  

Neither of them had agreed aloud to walk together back to the station.  It was just their natural direction, and they went with it.  Tokitoh complained about their homework along the way, and Kubota listened, only stopping at a cigarette machine to buy another pack.

They rode the train back to the station where they had met that morning.  It was filled with other students returning from school, and they stood along with crowd, Kubota's head high above them, and Tokitoh's just poking up.

"This is our stop," Kubota pushed forward, making a path towards the door.  He didn't need to turn to know that the other boy was following him.  They spilled out onto the platform and then watched as the train pulled back out.  They stood there, quiet as the rest of its former passengers began to mill up the stairs.

"…I got to switch to another train," Tokitoh started.

"Yeah, well, this is my stop actually."  Kubota said.  They again remained standing.

"…I guess I'll…see you tomorrow then."  Tokitoh offered.

"Yes.  Tomorrow."  He nodded.  

"Well…bye."  The other boy gave him a small wave and started to pass him towards the stairs.  As Kubota watched him leave, he didn't even notice that his arm had moved.

Tokitoh looked down to see Kubota's hand on his sleeve.  His eyes went up, and they met for one silent moment.

Finally.   "…You have a light?"

"Huh?"

Kubota let go and reached his hand into his pocket, bringing out his pack of cigarettes.  "I believe you have something that could help me out here."

Tokitoh looked down and then back up.  "As if!"  He scowled, and punched Kubota's arm.  "The person who wins in the end is gonna be the one who gets this!"

Kubota shrugged in response.  "Guess I'll just have to spend a hundred yen to buy another."  He saw the other boy's face fall a little at that.  "I mean, until we see who the real winner is."

Tokitoh's face brightened then, and Kubota couldn't help it.  He smiled back.

"You bet your ass we'll see."  He beamed and headed to the stairs towards the other platforms.  Kubota turned and went in the opposite direction towards the exit.  Just as his foot hit the first stair, a shout stopped him.

"Hey, Kubo-chan!"

He turned, his eyebrows raised.  He saw Tokitoh standing at the opposite end of the platform.  He was smiling and waving at him.

"That's to get back at you from this morning!" he shouted and then pointed.  Kubota looked and then spotted the officer, the one that had pulled Tokitoh into the office earlier.  He was glaring at them both from the other side of the tracks.  Kubota held his hand up and waved, and the officer's expression darkened in response. 

"See you tomorrow, Kubo-chan!" Tokitoh yelled and then ran up the stairs.  Kubota watched until the last view of his sneakers were out of sight.  

His eyebrows still up, he started on his own way home.

"I wasn't expecting that…" he murmured.  But then again, that seemed to be the theme for the day, and from the sound of it, for tomorrow too.

But that didn't sound too bad though, just like his new name.  "Kubo-chan…huh?"

A part of him couldn't wait to see Matsumoto's face when he would hear that one, and something told him he was going to very soon.

But that didn't sound too bad.

He left the station and headed down the street towards his building.  Thinking about the treasurer, he realized one thing that Matsumoto would be happy about it.  He probably wouldn't miss anymore morning meetings since it seems now that his new theme was going to make him get up earlier.  A part of him mourned the loss of his extra hour of sleep, but then he shrugged and smiled to himself.

Because suddenly, getting to school on time didn't sound too bad either.

He fingered the pack of cigarettes he still hadn't opened yet.

Because after all…he did have a lighter to win back.

^^ - This ends Across Platform C.  The next arc is Boys over Summer, where the Executive Committee realizes that their plans for the school culture festival have changed considerably, and Kubota finds a new roommate.  Until next time. ^_^  


End file.
